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

[captain stone]

With this defense coupled with high draft picks add to that a **** load of money … you would think an avg coach should get us to the promised land again. That’s why some of us Belichick guys would rather just keep him around… ya see cause he ain’t average !!!

You're right about the ain't average part.

 

[captain stone]

I’m gonna laugh my ass off if Monday afternoon comes around and Patriots announce they signed Bill to another 2 year contract extension… can already hear some chuckle heads exploding hahaha…

If you get your wish, Nobody here will be laughing by this time next year, including you.

 

[captain stone]

Matty Groh's gotta Go... and so too Stevie Cargrille.

 

[captain stone]

I'll never forget when Groh spoke about speed and athleticism when glowingly talking about Strange, Thornton, and Strong. Well, one is average for a 1st Rder, the other a bust, and the last one gone a year later.

I'm not impressed with Groh.

Yep, Al Groh's kid Sucks too. Another incompetent life-time member of Billy's F & Fs Plan.

 

[captain stone]

As bad as it looks for Bill, does Kraft really have the cajones to fire or "mutually part ways" with Bill after all he did for the franchise? Does he want bill to go to the chargers or bills and win a Super Bowl with Herbert or Allen? Then he'd be the guy who let Brady and Belichick leave on his watch only to have success elsewhere, and potentially doom his hall of fame chances.

Bill's not winning another championship ever, Ever again... here or anywhere else. And neither is Any other member of his family.

 

[signbabybrady]

That was Then. This is Now.

And as of Right Now, Bill Belichick ****ing SUCKS.

Nope he still has 8 rings now

 

[Noexcusesfornumber5]

I see the resident Jets fan is still chiming in with his hatred.

captain stone = Fireman Ed. Makes sense with how bitter he is about BB.

 

[1960Pats]

If Bill would have kept Brady he probably would have broken Shula’s record by now

I'm not sure Bill would have broken the record but he'd be a hell of a lot closer. Now it looks like he may not make it. But then, who gives a rat's ass about a coaching record. I sure don't.

 

[1960Pats]

7, 10, 8, 4.

I'll take the 49ers/Cowboys.

This Buffalo resident has to be one of the most deluded posters on the forum. According to upstutter, there's nothing wrong here. Bill making all the right moves. Keep the rebuild going, so we can keep our 29/30 yo players for the next 4 years when we become contenders and Bill will be at the SB at 75. LMAO

Some fans don't want to let go of the old days and want to see Bill finish here.

The 2023 Pats have clinched the worst record in the BB era even if they win Sunday. They'll jump ahead of the 2000 team as well as the 2020 and 2022 teams.

Bill's on a roll.

 

[1960Pats]

I see the resident Jets fan is still chiming in with his hatred.

captain stone = Fireman Ed. Makes sense with how bitter he is about BB.

If I were a Jets fan I wouldn't tell anybody. And I'd be happy with the Pats' situation now.

 

[1960Pats]

You're right about the ain't average part.

Bill's defenses are his strength but this one doesn't look so hot. Some of that has to be because of the putrid offense though.

 

[1960Pats]

If you get your wish, Nobody here will be laughing by this time next year, including you.

We're kind of lucky to be coming off the greatest 20 year run in NYFL history. It's been easier to be patient. But the time to move on has long passed.

I know I took some grief about talking up Deion a while back but I really don't care who the new people are, as long as they're not part of the BB connection.

I trust Bob and his track record.

 

[RIpats88]

7, 10, 8, 4.

I'll take the 49ers/Cowboys.

This Buffalo resident has to be one of the most deluded posters on the forum. According to upstutter, there's nothing wrong here. Bill making all the right moves. Keep the rebuild going, so we can keep our 29/30 yo players for the next 4 years when we become contenders and Bill will be at the SB at 75. LMAO

yeah i don't get it. fans are acting as if keeping Bill means he will be here the next 5-10 years...

once bill gets the record he's gone. so all we are talking about is "delaying" the rebuild and keeping his pure dysfunction "bill show" for an extra maybe 2 years. the band aid is being ripped off either now or soon either way.

also, its not a successful rebuild if your roster is getting worse each year..and its not just the roster apparently the coaching staff is garbage too. so players are not being developed properly.

 

[RIpats88]

is bill just becoming old and losing it? or has the brain drain on the coaching staff just making him more and more secluded into his bubble? was McDaniels leaving and taking staff with him the final straw?

from 2010-2013/14 I thought bill was an excellent GM. took a team that was old and rebuilt it from scratch. drafting several All-pro's/pro bowlers who made the next dynasty.

then as years went by, Bill's drafting didn't stay up to par so guys got older or retired and there were no replacements. I wouldn't even say the 2020 cam newton season was that bad and 2021 was a step forward.

you do wonder if McDaniels never leaves for the raiders are we here today? or maybe if they picked the tight ends coach who mcDaniels was apparently grooming (which would've been a more logical move). if so, why was no effort made to retain McDaniels as OC if he was that important to this team? reports at the time were he would've stayed but team basically said "sure go ahead and leave"....then Bill decided to hire a DC/special teams coordinator to coach offense first time in their career and it all went downhill.

but if bill is this stubborn, will only build a team his way, will hamstring his OC so he cant actually implement the changes he wants, will only hire buddies/family, will over-rule his scouts. as much as the past is to be respected. We are just hurting the team...telling O'Brien he has to make due with whatever is already there and cant pick his own guys was just pure "pettiness" and had nothing to do with whats 'best for the team"

the fact he wanted to continue the Patricia experiment now knowing they didn't run an NFL caliber offense and it was a failure just kind of shows he's losing it. And anyone who dared speak up against it (guys like Meyers/bourne who know what real NFL offenses looked like under Shanahan/mcdaniels) basically got blacklisted or let go...

the entire operation needs to be modernized. its a different NFL now.

 

[RIpats88]

1. You’re going off only last year
2. They took Gonzalez and White for heavens sake? You wanted to pass them up? For who? Linemen? This is just bad drafting if you’re giving up a chance to draft studs to fill needs. I looked at the previous 3 years
3. After going BPA in the early rounds, look what they did after: Sow, Andrew’s, Mafi, Douglas, Bouttee.

Again if you look at the draft capital expended the last 3 yrs they are spending as much on D as on O

The critique of Belichick was valid for the Brady years. Since Brady left they are paying as much attention to O as they are to D. The drafts definitely show that

drafting a bunch of flyers in the late rounds isn't "addressing the offense" generally top talent is in the early rounds. most of the defensive guys we drafted are "luxury pieces". then we draft a kicker in the 4th for no reason....another luxury pick that has been a failure.. douglas might work out, but those are tossing a coin on lesser talent picks

you telling me theres no good offensive players they could've drafted in the first 4 rounds?

generally filling your offense with 5th-7th rounders doesnt yield much success....

 

[upstater1]

drafting a bunch of flyers in the late rounds isn't "addressing the offense" generally top talent is in the early rounds. most of the defensive guys we drafted are "luxury pieces". then we draft a kicker in the 4th for no reason....another luxury pick that has been a failure.. douglas might work out, but those are tossing a coin on lesser talent picks

you telling me theres no good offensive players they could've drafted in the first 4 rounds?

generally filling your offense with 5th-7th rounders doesnt yield much success....

You got things totally reversed somehow.

I said they expend as much draft capital on offense as on defense. Early rounds, late rounds.

I actually laid out the FACTS for you.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

is bill just becoming old and losing it? or has the brain drain on the coaching staff just making him more and more secluded into his bubble? was McDaniels leaving and taking staff with him the final straw?

from 2010-2013/14 I thought bill was an excellent GM. took a team that was old and rebuilt it from scratch. drafting several All-pro's/pro bowlers who made the next dynasty.

then as years went by, Bill's drafting didn't stay up to par so guys got older or retired and there were no replacements. I wouldn't even say the 2020 cam newton season was that bad and 2021 was a step forward.

you do wonder if McDaniels never leaves for the raiders are we here today? or maybe if they picked the tight ends coach who mcDaniels was apparently grooming (which would've been a more logical move). if so, why was no effort made to retain McDaniels as OC if he was that important to this team? reports at the time were he would've stayed but team basically said "sure go ahead and leave"....then Bill decided to hire a DC/special teams coordinator to coach offense first time in their career and it all went downhill.

but if bill is this stubborn, will only build a team his way, will hamstring his OC so he cant actually implement the changes he wants, will only hire buddies/family, will over-rule his scouts. as much as the past is to be respected. We are just hurting the team...telling O'Brien he has to make due with whatever is already there and cant pick his own guys was just pure "pettiness" and had nothing to do with whats 'best for the team"

the fact he wanted to continue the Patricia experiment now knowing they didn't run an NFL caliber offense and it was a failure just kind of shows he's losing it. And anyone who dared speak up against it (guys like Meyers/bourne who know what real NFL offenses looked like under Shanahan/mcdaniels) basically got blacklisted or let go...

the entire operation needs to be modernized. its a different NFL now.

Agree. McDaniels leaving (and taking coaches) seems to have been the straw that broke the camel's back. There was no backup plan, and my sense was Bill typically had always had a plan for things. Seems he figured he could get by, but he really needed to re-stock the cubbard, as the rest of the league had caught up to us.

 

[archstanton543]

Agree. McDaniels leaving (and taking coaches) seems to have been the straw that broke the camel's back. There was no backup plan, and my sense was Bill typically had always had a plan for things. Seems he figured he could get by, but he really needed to re-stock the cubbard, as the rest of the league had caught up to us.

It's not hard for the league to catch up when the plan on offense is solid run game. Extremely average (at best) passing game. And winning mostly with superb defense.

 

[RIpats88]

You got things totally reversed somehow.

I said they expend as much draft capital on offense as on defense. Early rounds, late rounds.

I actually laid out the FACTS for you.

so your argument is they expend a ton of draft capital on offense and Bill is just horrible at evaluating offensive talent so they are mostly busts?

 

[RIpats88]

Agree. McDaniels leaving (and taking coaches) seems to have been the straw that broke the camel's back. There was no backup plan, and my sense was Bill typically had always had a plan for things. Seems he figured he could get by, but he really needed to re-stock the cubbard, as the rest of the league had caught up to us.

the story of the last 5-8 years of Bill's tenure has been no backup plan.

no backup plan to gronk retiring (ben watson!)
no backup plan to brady leaving (cam newton!)
no backup plan to mcdaniels leaving (phat matt!)
no backup plan to white retiring

and the list goes on.....