The end of an era?

[Brady_to_Moss]

When was the last time they lost 3 in a row? Could deff happen next week....to the jets :bricks:

 

[TomPatriot]

The Pats are still a good team, but Bill Belichik no longer brings any surprises to the table. His students -- the coaches on other teams -- are becoming better than the teacher. His players no longer show the same blind faith in him they once showed. Belichick won't be easy to replace because by any measure he's still a great coach and the Pat's still have a great W-L record, but I think the Golden Age of Bill Belichick is over.

Except his students aren't beating him and the people beating him are not his students. For example, Rex Ryan had a pretty good defensive Buddy not named BB and Tom Coughlin was a coach before BB.

I think BB's biggest fault is that he selects players to fit his system and sometimes (but not always) fails to select the better players and adapt the system to them.

 

[NEPats1]

The crazy thing is had the Pats just hit a couple more on some of the 1st and 2nd rounders we'd be talking about how they reloaded without ever taking a dip and remaining competitive for such a unprecedented length of time in NFL history.

 

[TheSolderKing]

The Pats match up poorly vs. every playoff contender in the AFC. If you think this team can win the AFC Championship game or even reach it that far you are smoking rocks.:bricks:

 

[Rich<3TheWoodhead]

Hey maybe if every team has a starter from each position out with injuries we might win. Obviously having Bradshaw , Nicks, as the Center out wasn't enough for us to overcome.

 

[Patters]

Except his students aren't beating him and the people beating him are not his students. For example, Rex Ryan had a pretty good defensive Buddy not named BB and Tom Coughlin was a coach before BB.

I think BB's biggest fault is that he selects players to fit his system and sometimes (but not always) fails to select the better players and adapt the system to them.

Ryan's brother was mentored by BB, and it's common knowledge that Ryan and his brother strategize together. In addition, Rex said last year that he specifically built the Jets to beat the Pats because he recognized that the road to the playoffs was through the Pats. To me, that means he had to have an especially profound understanding of the Pats. I think every good coach directly or indirectly is a student of BB; that does not mean that BB is their only teacher or that teaching goes only in one direction. It's just that coaches have gotten a lot more from BB than he has gotten from them, IMHO.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

When was the last time they lost 3 in a row? Could deff happen next week....to the jets :bricks:

May have been 2002. This season sure reminds me of that year regardless.

 

[jcdavey]

The Pats match up poorly vs. every playoff contender in the AFC. If you think this team can win the AFC Championship game or even reach it that far you are smoking rocks.:bricks:

not true

they match up great vs my chargers, and we still have a shot at 4-4 in the putrid afc west!

 

[bigfandan]

The week before they were dominated by Pittsburgh without stars like Hines Ward, James Harrison, and Farrior.

What people are forgetting is that the giants didn't have there STARTING WR, STARTING RB and STARTING C. And they still beat us.

 

[TomPatriot]

Ryan's brother was mentored by BB, and it's common knowledge that Ryan and his brother strategize together. In addition, Rex said last year that he specifically built the Jets to beat the Pats because he recognized that the road to the playoffs was through the Pats. To me, that means he had to have an especially profound understanding of the Pats. I think every good coach directly or indirectly is a student of BB; that does not mean that BB is their only teacher or that teaching goes only in one direction. It's just that coaches have gotten a lot more from BB than he has gotten from them, IMHO.

But every coach studies every good team in the NFL, especially the ones in the same division. Ryan's D is very different than BB's D. It is a lot like his father's.

 

[Darolyn72]

If you watched the Cowboys in 1995, 1996, 1997 this is how it faded. Brady and Bill are starting to look like Shula and Marino. They just never backfilled the talent. They had chances and made their choices. You're watching a team that can't win it all.

 

[alvinnf]

When your most effective run play is hurrying up to catch the defense in an illegal substitution your not mining for football gold anymore!

 

[PatriotFan77]

If you watched the Cowboys in 1995, 1996, 1997 this is how it faded. Brady and Bill are starting to look like Shula and Marino. They just never backfilled the talent. They had chances and made their choices. You're watching a team that can't win it all.

You do know Shula and Marino were Dolphins, not Cowboys though, right?

 

[Darolyn72]

I know more football than yoyu could possible imagine. I am mixing the Cowboys decline with the hall of fame credentials of Shula and Marino.

The Don Shula/Belichick comparison is pretty comparable. Both guys were amazing, both guys have struggled when the game changed. Belchick has not adapted to the new passing league. They set the tone in 2007 and I think if they win it that year, we would be complaining but not in the same way. That elusive 4th title, especially coming of that year really left most fans wanting more. It was ironic the Giants reinforced ONCE again its over.

 

[PatriotFan77]

I know more football than yoyu could possible imagine. I am mixing the Cowboys decline with the hall of fame credentials of Shula and Marino.

Why? Aren't the Hall of Fame credentials of Troy Aikman and Jimmy Johnson more comparable? Shula and Marino won 0 SB's together. I am not seeing the analogy?

 

[Julius Peppers]

When I think of the Golden Age of Belichick, I think of the guy who made situational football into an art, who made time-management and tendencies into a science, who had a training program that not only brought out the best in Brady, but the best in Matt Cassel, Deion Branch, and so many other players who when traded lost their luster. Belichick turned football from a rock 'em sock 'em game into a fast paced chess game. He created game plans that were original and daring, and time and again he caught opponents and pundits off guard. He did things that had rarely been done before.

The reality is that Bill Belichick was so good that for many teams their Superbowl was when they played the Patriots. For years, to beat the Patriots was considered a signature accomplishment. But now, Belichick's best ideas are copied by virtually every good coach. So many opponents have taken our players and coaches and incorporated the ideas of Bill Belichick into their own game plans, training program, and even draft strategy. So many opponents have spent more time studying the Patriots so that they know them better than they probably know any other team.

The Pats are still a good team, but Bill Belichik no longer brings any surprises to the table. His students -- the coaches on other teams -- are becoming better than the teacher. His players no longer show the same blind faith in him they once showed. Belichick won't be easy to replace because by any measure he's still a great coach and the Pat's still have a great W-L record, but I think the Golden Age of Bill Belichick is over.

you aint mad bro

stick a fork in the dude

he done

 

[Tunescribe]

When I think of the Golden Age of Belichick, I think of the guy who made situational football into an art, who made time-management and tendencies into a science, who had a training program that not only brought out the best in Brady, but the best in Matt Cassel, Deion Branch, and so many other players who when traded lost their luster. Belichick turned football from a rock 'em sock 'em game into a fast paced chess game. He created game plans that were original and daring, and time and again he caught opponents and pundits off guard. He did things that had rarely been done before.

The reality is that Bill Belichick was so good that for many teams their Superbowl was when they played the Patriots. For years, to beat the Patriots was considered a signature accomplishment. But now, Belichick's best ideas are copied by virtually every good coach. So many opponents have taken our players and coaches and incorporated the ideas of Bill Belichick into their own game plans, training program, and even draft strategy. So many opponents have spent more time studying the Patriots so that they know them better than they probably know any other team.

The Pats are still a good team, but Bill Belichik no longer brings any surprises to the table. His students -- the coaches on other teams -- are becoming better than the teacher. His players no longer show the same blind faith in him they once showed. Belichick won't be easy to replace because by any measure he's still a great coach and the Pat's still have a great W-L record, but I think the Golden Age of Bill Belichick is over.

Honestly, what is your purpose behind this "grand declaration"? Is it so you have a self-fashioned perspective from which to comfortably identify reality going forward? We're only halfway through the season. Come back in a couple months and then we'll see.

 

[Ring 6]

I know more football than yoyu could possible imagine. I am mixing the Cowboys decline with the hall of fame credentials of Shula and Marino.

The Don Shula/Belichick comparison is pretty comparable. Both guys were amazing, both guys have struggled when the game changed. Belchick has not adapted to the new passing league. They set the tone in 2007 and I think if they win it that year, we would be complaining but not in the same way. That elusive 4th title, especially coming of that year really left most fans wanting more. It was ironic the Giants reinforced ONCE again its over.

Then leave and find a new team. Its not like you are wanted here anyway.
If you can be that fickle, you were never really a fan to begin with.

 

[Willie55]

Haven't been since 2004 with the exception of 2007. This year the decline in
team skills in all phases of the game is precipitous. Our depth is worse than it
has been in a long time. We are using aged veterans dropped from other
teams for lack of production for the most part. This approach was OK when
adding a vet for depth but those legs aren't getting any stronger and as the
season wears on it should only get worse. 8-8 is going to be a stretch for
this team.

Don't the Patriots have one of the younger teams in the league?

 

[Snake Eyes]

Then leave and find a new team. Its not like you are wanted here anyway.
If you can be that fickle, you were never really a fan to begin with.

Actually, it takes people who take notice of a problem and speak of it to get it addressed. Pulling the whole "you're not a real fan" card just gets us less and less success.