The inside story of the Patriots’ fall to rock bottom in the Bill Belichick era

[upstater1]

Nitpick much stater??

You want one more?

OK, the article distinguishes between anonymous "Patriot staffers" and anonymous "team sources." The sources are management, the staffers are coaches.

Management rules, so be prepared for plenty of Broderick Joneses over Gonzaleses in the future.

Which means welcome to forever .500!

 

[203Pat]

Here's another weird quote: "The Herald could not confirm whether O’Brien wanted to remake the offensive staff, but O’Brien’s frustration with the wide receivers and offensive line coaches began bubbling as soon as the late spring. Both position groups feature underdeveloped high draft picks"

Late Spring? Klemm just got there. The only underdeveloped high draft pick at OL was Cole Strange, who had a decent year as a rookie guard. Certainly better than, for instance, Cyrus O'Torrence with the Bills, who was a guy drafted in Strange's range a year later.

What kind of quote is this about O'Brien? What does it mean? I can see criticism about Troy Brown and Tyquan Thornton, but it makes absolutely no sense when it comes to Klemm and Strange. Klemm had just arrived there, Strange had a good rookie year.

What kind of reporting is this?

Because only delusional homers believe this. BOB obviously didn't like the coaching the receivers and o-line was getting combined with the players at those spots already being subpar.

 

[PatsFan2]

You want one more?

OK, the article distinguishes between anonymous "Patriot staffers" and anonymous "team sources." The sources are management, the staffers are coaches.

Management rules, so be prepared for plenty of Broderick Joneses over Gonzaleses in the future.

Which means welcome to forever .500!

 

[upstater1]

You never cease to amaze.

You really think "Belichick relented."

I thought you were making the case this was his show top to bottom.

Now you're saying he's had a situation foisted on him.

I don't believe it.

 

[mike_usagisan]

Here's another weird quote: "The Herald could not confirm whether O’Brien wanted to remake the offensive staff, but O’Brien’s frustration with the wide receivers and offensive line coaches began bubbling as soon as the late spring. Both position groups feature underdeveloped high draft picks"

Late Spring? Klemm just got there. The only underdeveloped high draft pick at OL was Cole Strange, who had a decent year as a rookie guard. Certainly better than, for instance, Cyrus O'Torrence with the Bills, who was a guy drafted in Strange's range a year later.

What kind of quote is this about O'Brien? What does it mean? I can see criticism about Troy Brown and Tyquan Thornton, but it makes absolutely no sense when it comes to Klemm and Strange. Klemm had just arrived there, Strange had a good rookie year.

What kind of reporting is this?

Maybe he's referring to being forced to keep Yates?

 

[Steve102]

??

Shut down CBs are the second biggest rock stars in the entire league.

After WRs.

Obviously we drafted a QB

...and Bill knows how to handle them and is comfortable doing so.

 

[Nikolai]

#3 is an excellent point, but I think this come from management, not Belichick's circle of trust.

I don't necessarily disagree, but there was a time until recently, that BB largely represented "the management" when it came to speaking to the press. I could not envision the staff in 2019, let alone 2018 and earlier, putting out this kind of messaging. It will be telling what comes out should BB be relieved of his duties.

 

[Steve102]

After reading that article, I wish they had let BoB choose the coach and stick with it. It feels like too many cooks and not enough working on the same page.

Not enough sous chefs. One head chef and a bunch of busboys.

 

[upstater1]

I don't necessarily disagree, but there was a time until recently, that BB largely represented "the management" when it came to speaking to the press. I could not envision the staff in 2019, let alone 2018 and earlier, putting out this kind of messaging. It will be telling what comes out should BB be relieved of his duties.

I pointed out earlier that the article seemed to consistently distinguish between staff and team sources. Staff were focused on critiquing coaching inadequacies, while the team sources were critiquing talent.

Clearly, between O'Brien and Klemm and Troy Brown, staff were describing dysfunction.

But the team sources who were discussing talent acquisition? That left me depressed. It speaks to people who have no clue in what it takes to build a winning team. They are the type of people who are forever plugging holes.

 

[Nikolai]

If BB leaves I think the most significant loss will be his game-planning expertise -- in that area he remains without peer.

This article even admits as much that BB would tell players to avoid certain mistakes or outcomes, and then they would do it anyway, **** up the gameplan, and prove him right.

We will definitely miss that, whenever it is he goes.

 

[Nikolai]

But the team sources who were discussing talent acquisition? That left me depressed. It speaks to people who have no clue in what it takes to build a winning team. They are the type of people who are forever plugging holes.

A very apt description for life in Foxboro since 2019.

 

[Steve102]

This article even admits as much that BB would tell players to avoid certain mistakes or outcomes, and then they would do it anyway, **** up the gameplan, and prove him right.

We will definitely miss that, whenever it is he goes.

There's no one better than Bill when it comes to If X happens than Z happens as the outcome.

 

[Rob0729]

Corky will be forced on the new regime next year. Book it.

No he won't. Kraft isn't going to hire a new GM and head coach and immediately force personnel decisions on them.

Jones could be back next year because he has a really low cap number and the new regime might be willing to try salvage him, but it won't be because he is forced on them.

 

[Steve102]

No he won't. Kraft isn't going to hire a new GM and head coach and immediately force personnel decisions on them.

Jones could be back next year because he has a really low cap number and the new regime might make them willing to salvage him, but it won't be because he is forced on them.

It'll be "I like this kid. Is there any saving him?"

 

[mike_usagisan]

No he won't. Kraft isn't going to hire a new GM and head coach and immediately force personnel decisions on them.

Jones could be back next year because he has a really low cap number and the new regime might make them willing to salvage him, but it won't be because he is forced on them.

There's been some speculation that that is what happened this year and Bill wanted to move on from Mac before this car crash of a season.

 

[Tunescribe]

This article even admits as much that BB would tell players to avoid certain mistakes or outcomes, and then they would do it anyway, **** up the gameplan, and prove him right.

We will definitely miss that, whenever it is he goes.

That has been echoed down through the years and I think illustrates the essence of BB's greatness. But it became a double-edge sword because his success in that respect earned him more overall control than he could competently manage. In retrospect, Kraft perhaps should have insisted on maintaining a strong, at least semi-autonomous GM 20-plus years ago.

 

[condon84]

There's been some speculation that that is what happened this year and Bill wanted to move on from Mac before this car crash of a season.

BoB kinda of confirmed that with his chain of command comment about benching Mac.

That new article saying Kraft forced BoB on Bill adds more weight on Kraft meddling with football related decisions.

But people will ignore it because "Bill must go" at all costs.

 

[Nunchucks]

He's not sized like a prototypical guard. He's 300 and 6'3

Mafi and Sow are 6'5" and 330 pounds.

So, my answer is no

Look up the weight of Cole strange, Ted karras, and Joe tuney

 

[Kdo5]

Nothing too surprising within the article but it’s super interesting to get some of the nitty gritty details of what’s been happening. Big yikes.

 

[upstater1]

Look up the weight of Cole strange, Ted karras, and Joe tuney

Karras was more of a center, but you're right on Thuney and Strange. I will only say they are at the right height for the position compared to Andrews who is more squat. He has prototypical center written all over him.

People are still critical here of Strange's weight.