That loss is on the coaches

[thecore762]

Bill may have lost the lockerroom because of it.

I’ve been thinking about this all night long. I think it’s time for Kraft to have a chat with BB. He is using his old school ways and I am not liking it one bit.

Letting go many key players over the years that made our team great, then having problems with Tom Brady’s trainer, then Butler, what’s the fking point on bringing in all these guys in and then not playing them when it matters? Branch was a rock in the middle and I think he could have helped stop the run better.

Now Gronk contemplating retirement because of all the bs. Then BB treating Butler like **** and sitting him in the biggest game of the year!!! The guy busted his ass all season long, sure he had a down year but he played hard every snap.

In my opinion BB threw the Super Bowl.

 

[Wrath Mania]

Tom Curran totally gets it: "Because everyone deserved better. The players and coaches who give their lives up to get to this spot, they deserved to be able to give the Eagles their best shot. That meant Butler on the field at some point trying to stop Nick Foles from riddling them for 373 yards and three touchdown passes while the Philly offense went 10-for-16 on third down and 2-for-2 on fourth down while amassing 538 total yards.

Bill Belichick’s earned the benefit of the doubt so I’m going to hold it until we find out the real reason the Butler didn’t get to do anything.

This wasn’t Wes Welker benched at the beginning of the AFC Divisional Playoff against the Jets for a pile of foot jokes. By football standards, this is capital punishment."

That column did a perfect job of capturing why this game was infuriating.

I have to say too, Curran's thoughts on the future seem a little pessimistic if you read in between the lines. He more or less says at the end there that it's not impossible McDaniels is staying because the unthinkable might happen. My sense is the beat reporters heard a lot of rumors this past week, as happens at Super Bowls. Bedard intimated as much on his 98.5 postgame spot--but cautioned as he has all year that he thinks cooler heads will prevail. It is striking to me that Curran seems maybe less optimistic. A loss like this could do that.

 

[GorBelSer]

Of course not. As for getting more athletic lbs that’s prob not in the cards either, too much freelancing. I’m preparing myself for the letdown or more Jordan Richards/elandon Roberts types

I was kidding, ofc, but nothing would surprise me anymore. IIRC, no one expected Belichick to use 2nd round pick on safety, let alone low-key safety like Richards. Or first available pick on CB whose primary area of expertise are punt returns.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

In my opinion BB threw the Super Bowl.

Belichick not wanting to get #6 and personally tie PIT, etc.for most NFL titles ever? I don’t buy that for a second.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Bedard intimated as much on his 98.5 postgame spot--but cautioned as he has all year that he thinks cooler heads will prevail. It is striking to me that Curran seems maybe less optimistic. A loss like this could do that.

I don’t listen to sports radio any more. So did Bedard outright say he’s heard credible rumors that BB is stepping down? (Albeit with the caution that he thinks people will calm down and work it out?)

 

[GorBelSer]

That column did a perfect job of capturing why this game was infuriating.

I have to say too, Curran's thoughts on the future seem a little pessimistic if you read in between the lines. He more or less says at the end there that it's not impossible McDaniels is staying because the unthinkable might happen. My sense is the beat reporters heard a lot of rumors this past week, as happens at Super Bowls. Bedard intimated as much on his 98.5 postgame spot--but cautioned as he has all year that he thinks cooler heads will prevail. It is striking to me that Curran seems maybe less optimistic. A loss like this could do that.

It is always gloom and doom after the SB loss but this could have been our last shot under this administration. Brady is still great but I thought the days when we needed him to throw for 53423 yards to win the game were long gone. Coordinators are out, the defense needs to be revamped pronto, Gronk future is uncertain.

 

[archstanton543]

That column did a perfect job of capturing why this game was infuriating.

I have to say too, Curran's thoughts on the future seem a little pessimistic if you read in between the lines. He more or less says at the end there that it's not impossible McDaniels is staying because the unthinkable might happen. My sense is the beat reporters heard a lot of rumors this past week, as happens at Super Bowls. Bedard intimated as much on his 98.5 postgame spot--but cautioned as he has all year that he thinks cooler heads will prevail. It is striking to me that Curran seems maybe less optimistic. A loss like this could do that.

Tom E is a little overboard there. "Wheezing into the station"? If this is wheezing, give me more of that.

And he keeps perpetutating the myth that he Pats could have gotten more or could have kept Jimmy G when that could never ever happen.

 

[Wrath Mania]

I don’t listen to sports radio any more. So did Bedard outright say he’s heard credible rumors that BB is stepping down? (Albeit with the caution that he thinks people will calm down and work it out?)

He didn't go that far--the ESPN/PFT chatter from today was mentioned, and he's heard "weird things" this week but he doesn't think they'll necessarily pan out. So in theory it could just be the same innuendo that's hounded the team all year. In theory. Again, tonight's game, Gronk's statement, etc... paints a bad tenor on it all.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I want to find out more. Lot of rumors and conflicting reports right now. Kevin Duffy is reporting he wasn't benched, but demoted last week during practice and was still in some packages--I guess packages at the very, very, very back of the playbook, huh (this sounds like some lame damage control honestly). No doubt that players seemed, at best, preturbed by it. And I get that BB has made tough decisions before, i.e. Mankins and Milloy... but this was right before the Super Bowl. On a defense with zero depth against an offense that razed you. Just bizarre.

. Whatever else Dr

That column did a perfect job of capturing why this game was infuriating.

I have to say too, Curran's thoughts on the future seem a little pessimistic if you read in between the lines. He more or less says at the end there that it's not impossible McDaniels is staying because the unthinkable might happen. My sense is the beat reporters heard a lot of rumors this past week, as happens at Super Bowls. Bedard intimated as much on his 98.5 postgame spot--but cautioned as he has all year that he thinks cooler heads will prevail. It is striking to me that Curran seems maybe less optimistic. A loss like this could do that.

Honestly, if belichick wants to step down after tonight... I'm not okay with that, he's a great coach, probably the best ever. But I'm as close as I could get. This game was about as poorly coached as possible, if Belichick retiring is the price of McDaniels staying I think I can live with that, if not necessarily like it

 

[Wrath Mania]

Tom E is a little overboard there. "Wheezing into the station"? If this is wheezing, give me more of that.

And he keeps perpetutating the myth that he Pats could have gotten more or could have kept Jimmy G when that could never ever happen.

It's too late and I'm too burned out to have a Jimmy G or "is it really almost the end" debate, but at the very least I think all Curran is trying to illustrate is that it was a weirdass year, that the weird tension in the building was palpable, and that the year was capped off with a weirdass game.

 

[chumpchange]

Belichick not wanting to get #6 and personally tie PIT, etc.for most NFL titles ever? I don’t buy that for a second.

It was obviously more important to Bill to be right than to put his best players in the game. He absolutely forfeited the Lombardi. Not for nothing did Hightower "like" Browner's post labeling Bill and the decision to bench Butler "Prideful". They know far better than we do.

 

[chumpchange]

. Whatever else Dr

Honestly, if belichick wants to step down after tonight... I'm not okay with that, he's a great coach, probably the best ever. But I'm as close as I could get. This game was about as poorly coached as possible, if Belichick retiring is the price of McDaniels staying I think I can live with that, if not necessarily like it

Bill's great, but this team's success is because of Brady. We've already seen it in action. Remember how Josh was the Boy Genius here, and then an utter failure at Head Coach when he didn't have Brady executing his plans? That "genius" coaching didn't matter when the GOAT wasn't throwing. And in 2008 after Brady went down--though we had a very respectable record--we didn't win the Division and missed the playoffs. Bill's genius couldn't carry the team to the postseason or win the AFC East without Tom. And since Tom got back? AFC East champs and postseason play every year. If Belichick were the most valuable component on the team, Kraft would never side with Tom over him. Coaching's critical but Tom is the sun this team revolves around, and Kraft, who knows his team in and out, recognizes it completely.

 

[chumpchange]

It's too late and I'm too burned out to have a Jimmy G or "is it really almost the end" debate, but at the very least I think all Curran is trying to illustrate is that it was a weirdass year, that the weird tension in the building was palpable, and that the year was capped off with a weirdass game.

And a weird reaction to this loss. Everybody (coaches and players) seemed so checked out and emotionless in the post-game interviews. Mike Hurley of CBS Boston described the locker room:
"After the 41-33 loss, there was a strange mood in the always-somber losers’ area for postgame media meetings. Typically, these areas are filled with despondent players who look exactly like men who have had their lifelong dreams crushed in dramatic fashion. There are generally very few answers, and just as few questions, as the players are too emotional to even play the game with reporters. But the Patriots seemed … different. They were disappointed, without a doubt. And they took responsibility for not making as many plays as the Eagles. But they were not crushed. There were no tears. Though lips are always tight when the Patriots talk to the media, it seemed almost as if they felt they had one had been taken away from them. And though none of them would go right out and say it, the feeling was that many of them found it bizarre that Malcolm Butler did not play a single down on defense."

 

[Patsgofor4]

• Stephon Gilmour not covering Alshon for the start of the game. Bad decision by the coaches. It cant even be debated as Gilmour pretty much shut him down once he started covering him.

• Benching Malcom Butler completely. Took a key player out of the game. Butler's heart and scrappiness was a huge part of our D. This gives the defense an excuse for losing before the game even starts. Terrible decision. Reminds me of that time Wes Welker got benched before the Jets game in the playoffs and we lost. Our D couldnt have possibly been any worst tonight. Belichick will always say "I did what I thought was best for the team" but he was 100% wrong on this one.

• No Blitzes all game? I'm so tired of seeing Eli/Foles/Flacco/Bortles look untouchable and have all day to pass on us. Meanwhile Brady gets hit late atleast once every series. Bortles started choking once we sent Corner blitzes a couple weeks ago. The Defense didnt touch Foles all day. Patricia and Belichick seemed content to let Foles stand back there and shred our D the entire game. At least make him feel a little uncomfortable and hit him. I dont get this at all.

• No Gronk in the 1st half. Say whatever you want about the coverage. When they finally went to him, he was unstoppable. I dont know how you go into the damn SB and not have Gronk as a major part of the gameplan in the first half.

• Blount > Gillislee. Said it at the start of the season and most of you attacked me. Horrible decision. That one is on Belichick.

• 3rd and 2 and you do a sweep with Cooks. Then kicking the FG... Then on the next series, it's 4th down and we run that trick pass play to Brady. This series screwed us from the start and our team looked completely lost. Why go for it on 4th down so far away from the endzone, but not just a yard away from 1st down in the redzone? I thought this sequence in the first half was terrible terrible play calling. We were playing catch up the entire game after this sloppy play calling by McDaniels.

Overall I thought this game was very winnable. This Eagles team isnt as good as the Seahawks team or even the Falcons from last year. I also think the Pats have let go way too much talent on defense over the past few years. Akiem Hicks, Chandler Jones, Jamie Collins, Chris Long, Jabaal Sheard, Logan Ryan, etc. Could've used some of that pass rush tonight. To be honest we were lucky we even beat Jacksonville a couple weeks ago.

I suggest that you re-watch the game. There problem wasn’t that the Pats didn’t blitz, it was that the blitzes got stuffed...every...damn...time. Very frustrating.

Allowing Hicks to leave for 2/10 was a major mistake. I’m too tired to educate you about the rest of that list.

 

[fair catch fryar]

I can’t take this anymore. Butler was ****ing crying. ****ing idiot BB.

JC. No one even knows what the hell happened for BB to bench Butler. Maybe Butler was being a little ***** and deserved it, maybe BB was the *****. Everyone is so quick to throw up a temple for BB when he wins and is ready to crucify him when he loses. We just lost the SB after going to it for the 8th time in 16 phucking years and we could very well be back next year. With the window closing so fast you oughtta try and get a phucking grip because we'll be scrapping it out with the likes of the Jets, Dolphins and Bills for AFC East supremacy in a few short years. Suck it up cupcake.

 

[DarrylS]

Well that's what happens when you let go of

-Mayo
-Collins
-Wilfork
-Jones
-Browner
-Sheard
-Long
-Revis

All it takes is your new rookie defensive back getting injured to start the season and Hightower going down and you are having issues.

How do you pay all these guys??

Mayo is retired

Wilfork is retired

Browner is retired and when he played he was a penalty machine..

Revis should have retired

How do you fit Jones, Sheard and Collins into our salary cap??

Long wanted out, as he did not like his fit in the NE Defense... force him to stay??

 

[Ivan]

I can’t take this anymore. Butler was ****ing crying. ****ing idiot BB.

The same can be said of your posts. What a crybaby you are.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

One week later and here's the sequence that still boggles my mind. The Pats looked like they had never been to a SuperBowl before.


Not going for it on 4th and 1 in the redzone. Settling for field goal. This mentality is why the Pats lost.

Then going for it on 4th and 5 about 30 yards from the endzone. 3rd down call being a trick pass to Brady. If they knew it was 4 down territory, why not a short 2-3 yard pass or run to get closer for 4th down.

The first qtr was so sloppy. The entire game was playing catch up after that.




Still can't figure out why they didnt blitz Foles at all.

 

[captain stone]

They did blitz Foles sometimes, but their OL just kept finding and blocking the extra rusher well enough to give him time to find the open receiver.

 

[archstanton543]

Then going for it on 4th and 5 about 30 yards from the endzone. 3rd down call being a trick pass to Brady. If they knew it was 4 down territory, why not a short 2-3 yard pass or run to get closer for 4th down.

Why? Because Josh (and Brady) like to get cute at times during games.