The Official Eat Crow thread pertaining to this season

[PATRIOT64]

I will start with eating crow over this NFL 2008 season with the following ...

I thought by the looks of preseason that Cassel was a goner before the first game...I was wrong - He played better as a replacment of Brady than anyone could have dreamed of and almost took this team to the playoffs - Sorry Matt and best of luck with the big $$$ you have rightfully earned in '09.

I thought that Belichick may have only been so successful in coaching all these years in NE because Brady had made it easy for him to be a legendary coach and I thought he might have resorted back to his mediocre days as HC in Cleveland.. I was wrong - Bill had shown me he could replace the star on this team and nearly 1/4 of the team on IR and still guide it to double digit win and incredibly almost made the playoffs - Sorry Bill,your name belongs on the top 3 list of best coaches ever in all of football.

I thought the choice of Jerod Mayo in the 2008 draft might have been a mistake instead of looking for a CB in the first round to replace Samuel..I was wrong - Jerod is far and away going to the the DROY and he truly was one of the top gems in the first round and what a tackling machine we now have for years to come - Sorry Scott and Bill for questioning your choice at that #7 spot,after seeing what the 1st round CBs have done this year,there is not one of those guys I would replace Mayo with now if I could have looked ahead.


Anyone like to add any eating crow comments on this sad day following the end of our season?

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

I was happy to get Mayo. It's not the attractive position to draft for but if you're missing an ILB it sorely sticks out.

I'll be the first to say I wanted Cassell gone before the season. I was totally wrong.

I thought the strength of the team would be the defense and it ended up being the offense. Special teams wasn't so special this year on covering kicks

 

[Fixit]

I tend to not form overly strong opinions early on in the season, but I was 100% sure that Cassel was going to crash and burn. As you may now realize, I might have been a little off in my assessment.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

No crow for me this year... well, mabye a little. After Brady went down, I was thinking 10-6 or 11-5. I figured Cassel would be decent (BB wouldn't have kept him for 4 years otherwise), but I also didn't think we'd lose so many starters this year. It's odd, I missed a bit on two fronts, but the record still came out the same. All this proves is that I know very little, which is why I just put my faith in BB

 

[BradyFTW!]

Players who are probably owed an apology by PatsFans posters in general:

Moss: Some uncharacteristic drops, yeah, but you can't complain too much about someone who leads the league in touchdowns with over a thousand yards receiving. So much for Brady keeping him in line.

Seymour: Turns out he's not a fat, lazy, malcontent. That seems to have come as a revelation to a lot of posters here. Another great year for Seymour, who, it turns out, just needed to get healthy.

Ellis Hobbs: Held his own this year. Didn't make anyone forget Asante, and got burned pretty badly from time to time, but all in all he held his own.

The entire offensive line: Yes, it's true that Matt Light still gets manhandled by elite pass rushers. It's true that Kaczur and Neal have trouble staying healthy. But I think we can finally conclude that the line is just flat-out good, and that, as great as Brady's pocket presence is, they are effective without him, as well.

Mike Wright: Definitely not a JAG. Highly effective rotation player who became critical to the defense when Warren went down.

Matt Cassel: I think we've been over this one plenty- no need to beat the dead horse. When players leave the Patriots, I typically don't wish them success. The last notable exception to that, for me, was McGinest (Troy Brown would have been another if he'd signed with someone else). That said, I'll be rooting for Cassel, wherever he ends up next year.

Players who are most definitely not owed an apology in any way shape or form:
Ben Watson
Laurence Maroney

 

[PittPatriot]

Players who are most definitely not owed an apology in any way shape or form:
Ben Watson
Laurence Maroney

...and the effervescent Chad Jackson.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

Players who are probably owed an apology by PatsFans posters in general:

Moss: Some uncharacteristic drops, yeah, but you can't complain too much about someone who leads the league in touchdowns with over a thousand yards receiving. So much for Brady keeping him in line.

Seymour: Turns out he's not a fat, lazy, malcontent. That seems to have come as a revelation to a lot of posters here. Another great year for Seymour, who, it turns out, just needed to get healthy.

Ellis Hobbs: Held his own this year. Didn't make anyone forget Asante, and got burned pretty badly from time to time, but all in all he held his own.

The entire offensive line: Yes, it's true that Matt Light still gets manhandled by elite pass rushers. It's true that Kaczur and Neal have trouble staying healthy. But I think we can finally conclude that the line is just flat-out good, and that, as great as Brady's pocket presence is, they are effective without him, as well.

Mike Wright: Definitely not a JAG. Highly effective rotation player who became critical to the defense when Warren went down.

Matt Cassel: I think we've been over this one plenty- no need to beat the dead horse. When players leave the Patriots, I typically don't wish them success. The last notable exception to that, for me, was McGinest (Troy Brown would have been another if he'd signed with someone else). That said, I'll be rooting for Cassel, wherever he ends up next year.

Players who are most definitely not owed an apology in any way shape or form:
Ben Watson
Laurence Maroney

Hobbs is pretty solid.
Mike Wright is very good.
Moss is amazing!
Cassel rocks!
The starting O-Line is very good, but I'll tell ya, after losing Neal for a bunch of games, I have a much greater appreciation for how good a player he is.
Seymour is good, but he is expensive. I don't mind seeing Jarvis in on 3rd downs.

Nope, no one to apologize to this year for me

 

[JoePats]

When Brady went down I figured we'd get 8, and I had no confidence in Cassel. So I was dead wrong. If he ever plays another game for the Pats I'll be confident in him. He did a great job.

 

[strongside]

I had no faith in Cassel and thought they should have signed Chris Sims ect.- wrong

I tabbed Merriweather as the break out player for the pats - good call

 

[JoeSixPat]

Although I think many fans were overly critical of some of Cassel's pre-season performances (asserting a 6-10 performance was mediocre in one game when in fact there were 3 dropped passes) going into the season his inconsistent play in the pre-season had me wanting to see a veteran QB behind Brady, learning the plays during the season in case the "unthinkable" happened late in the season.

Apparently the coaching staff felt the same way, as I believe its been confirmed that veteran QBs were invited to Foxboro, with arrangements made before the first regular season game.

Once Brady went down it was clear that no veteran QB was going to be up to speed for many weeks if not months. The best case scenario was to go with Cassel - and the coaching staff reaffirmed this by cancelling the QB visits, presumably to boost Cassel's confidence as well.

After watching Cassel in two games and looking at the remaining schedule I think I actually predicted that 11-5 was an achievable goal with 10-6 more likely. As I reminded plenty of fans at the time, there's a pretty long list of mediocre QBs who have helped their teams win a Super Bowl as long as their defenses remained strong. The Defensive performance against Miami and the subsequent injuries on Defense definately put a damper on the season, more so than Brady's loss - but they still somehow were able to win 11 games.

Even though I predicted 11-5 with Cassel, if you told me ALL the injuries the Patriots would suffer as of Week 2 there's no way I ever would have stood by that prediction.

 

[WhiZa]

Looking back we'll never know why BB kept Cassel as all signs pointed to an inexperienced QB unable to take on the NFL. His success was one of the great stories of the year.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I will start with eating crow over this NFL 2008 season with the following ...

I thought by the looks of preseason that Cassel was a goner before the first game...I was wrong - He played better as a replacement of Brady than anyone could have dreamed of and almost took this team to the playoffs - Sorry Matt and best of luck with the big $$$ you have rightfully earned in '09.

I thought that Belichick may have only been so successful in coaching all these years in NE because Brady had made it easy for him to be a legendary coach and I thought he might have resorted back to his mediocre days as HC in Cleveland.. I was wrong - Bill had shown me he could replace the star on this team and nearly 1/4 of the team on IR and still guide it to double digit win and incredibly almost made the playoffs - Sorry Bill,your name belongs on the top 3 list of best coaches ever in all of football.

I thought the choice of Jerod Mayo in the 2008 draft might have been a mistake instead of looking for a CB in the first round to replace Samuel..I was wrong - Jerod is far and away going to the the DROY and he truly was one of the top gems in the first round and what a tackling machine we now have for years to come - Sorry Scott and Bill for questioning your choice at that #7 spot,after seeing what the 1st round CBs have done this year,there is not one of those guys I would replace Mayo with now if I could have looked ahead.


Anyone like to add any eating crow comments on this sad day following the end of our season?

I myself feel vindicated. As one of the few who thought that BB was using Cassel in the preseason, in a way that could only be done, when he had full faith and a readiness to keep him as the backup, and that was never in question. And I said so, on these pages many times, all most alone...

Recall the situation:

A) The offensive line was a mess. Stephen Neal and Nick Kaczur weren't available, Hochstein was hobbling, and BB surely had to know that Neal wasn't GOING to be ready until mid-season at the best. There was a steady audition of never-weres, and never-will-bes parading through the Pats preseason camp. Billy Yates was unknown and doubtful.

B) Tom Brady was recovering from a high ankle sprain, and was immobile and too valuable to serve as an immobile target, amidst the auditions.

C) There was the search for the third and fourth WRS. Chad Jax wasn't turning out, and there were a cast of thousands there too.

Belichick needed someone he had measured, trusted, and could be used as a punching bag, if necessary to take the sacks, in-completions, dropped passes, wrong routes, and QB hits, that come from OL and WR auditions. He turned to Matt Cassel, and handed him the ball, all the time, while the opposition first and second stringers played. Had he wanted to test "les autres", he would have had them go against the opposition's first string. BB never did, save once, and Matt Guttierez failed miserably, with bad decisions and numerous picks.

I also thought that maybe Belichick was ALSO testing Cassel's composure and mental approach to the game. Many an athlete would have protested the situation, the "unfairness" of it all. That he couldn't be expected to produce with his hands tied behind his back,while jeopardizing his career. You have all seen players do that. But Cassel didn't. He just sucked it up, and struggled to do the sh!tty job handed to him. IMO, he ALSO passed a test with BB; the maturity and leadership to stand firm and try to do your best in tough circumstances.

When many were predicting his cut, and yelling for his scalp, I grew increasingly confident of the assurance he was going to be the backup QB. Finally, BB actually gave him the first string OL, together with the first string WRs, for a Quarter. I thought that BB wanted to assure himself that MC hadn't gotten gun-shy and shell-shocked by the process.

If you remember Matt did well in that one quarter. Finally he had the talent around him and it showed.

No matter where Cassel goes, he will be a Star. He has the triangle numbers, "par excellance" and always did. And he has one more thing. Natural leadership and mental toughness that can only be tested under fire.

Line up to... Eat Crow!!

 

[VJCPatriot]

I thought they slightly reached for Mayo. Could have traded down one more time to 15-20 and still got him. Looking at what Mayo accomplished, it wasn't worth getting an extra pick and risk losing him.

I thought the Pats could have gone 18-1 this year, but that was with a healthy Brady. Considering the state of the defense... I think that was overoptimistic. Even with Brady I think we would have only been a couple of wins better. That would have gotten us into the playoffs but the defense would still have ??marks.

The Patriots badly need a replacement for Rodney. The defense plays softer without him and there is just no enforcer presence out there.

 

[borg]

Watching Cassel give up sack after sack, I piled on the guy showing no mercy. How things have changed. I would now have no problem letting MC be the Man from here on out. What ever team MC ends up on in the future, I will root for his success. I hope one day I write the same words regarding Maroney...but I until that time arrives....the guy is made of glass, etc etc etc

 

[gomezcat]

Well, each season, I have many things about which to eat crow. In particular, my worst fears about Matt Cassel were wrong and I was wrong to want us to draft Vernon Gholston. I certainly didn't think we'd get this close to an 11-5 record and the playoffs.

BTW, if anyone chooses to, you can go back to a person's posts in the offseason and early regular season. Find out just how much faith they ACTUALLY had in Matt Cassel.

 

[Kontradiction]

I thought we should ship Seymour out of town, and reshuffle the entire offensive line including Light and Mankins in the wee hours of the season. Not so. Both did great jobs this year.

WHERE IS WENDEL?

 

[arrellbee]

I will start with eating crow over this NFL 2008 season with the following ...

I thought by the looks of preseason that Cassel was a goner before the first game...I was wrong - He played better as a replacment of Brady than anyone could have dreamed of and almost took this team to the playoffs - Sorry Matt and best of luck with the big $$$ you have rightfully earned in '09.

I thought that Belichick may have only been so successful in coaching all these years in NE because Brady had made it easy for him to be a legendary coach and I thought he might have resorted back to his mediocre days as HC in Cleveland.. I was wrong - Bill had shown me he could replace the star on this team and nearly 1/4 of the team on IR and still guide it to double digit win and incredibly almost made the playoffs - Sorry Bill,your name belongs on the top 3 list of best coaches ever in all of football.

I thought the choice of Jerod Mayo in the 2008 draft might have been a mistake instead of looking for a CB in the first round to replace Samuel..I was wrong - Jerod is far and away going to the the DROY and he truly was one of the top gems in the first round and what a tackling machine we now have for years to come - Sorry Scott and Bill for questioning your choice at that #7 spot,after seeing what the 1st round CBs have done this year,there is not one of those guys I would replace Mayo with now if I could have looked ahead.


Anyone like to add any eating crow comments on this sad day following the end of our season?

Very good summation. I missed on Cassel also - but didn't discount Belichick at all. Mayo looked pretty good in pre-season and reports were encouraging about his dedication and study and learning - and we certainly needed addition to middle line-backing corps.

 

[arrellbee]

Players who are probably owed an apology by PatsFans posters in general:

Moss: Some uncharacteristic drops, yeah, but you can't complain too much about someone who leads the league in touchdowns with over a thousand yards receiving. So much for Brady keeping him in line.

Seymour: Turns out he's not a fat, lazy, malcontent. That seems to have come as a revelation to a lot of posters here. Another great year for Seymour, who, it turns out, just needed to get healthy.

Ellis Hobbs: Held his own this year. Didn't make anyone forget Asante, and got burned pretty badly from time to time, but all in all he held his own.

The entire offensive line: Yes, it's true that Matt Light still gets manhandled by elite pass rushers. It's true that Kaczur and Neal have trouble staying healthy. But I think we can finally conclude that the line is just flat-out good, and that, as great as Brady's pocket presence is, they are effective without him, as well.

Mike Wright: Definitely not a JAG. Highly effective rotation player who became critical to the defense when Warren went down.

Matt Cassel: I think we've been over this one plenty- no need to beat the dead horse. When players leave the Patriots, I typically don't wish them success. The last notable exception to that, for me, was McGinest (Troy Brown would have been another if he'd signed with someone else). That said, I'll be rooting for Cassel, wherever he ends up next year.

Players who are most definitely not owed an apology in any way shape or form:
Ben Watson
Laurence Maroney

Thanks for VERY good summary.

I am pretty much convinced that the Patriots first round draft philosophy is, at all tradeoffs, to draft a solid starting player in their first round picks rather than take any kind of a gamble on upside with a risk of a bust.

Watson is an unbelievable disappointment. But he is, I guess, at least a starter. So the Patriots, while also I am sure disappointed, probably rate it as an OK pick.

Boy, Maroney's chances of being a solid starter are looking pretty dim. I think, if he has the physique to get healthy, that there is a chance that we will appreciate having him on the roster - but it seems like less than a 50/50 shot.

The Patriots second round draft record has also lost a lot of it's luster. I'd have to wonder if they themselves don't think they have done a bad job in the second round.

A couple three years ago, I was uber-praising the Pats draft record. As of this year, the verdict is in flux.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

I'll take a heapin helpin.

 

[godef]

I will start with eating crow over this NFL 2008 season with the following ...

I thought the choice of Jerod Mayo in the 2008 draft might have been a mistake instead of looking for a CB in the first round to replace Samuel..I was wrong - Jerod is far and away going to the the DROY and he truly was one of the top gems in the first round and what a tackling machine we now have for years to come - Sorry Scott and Bill for questioning your choice at that #7 spot,after seeing what the 1st round CBs have done this year,there is not one of those guys I would replace Mayo with now if I could have looked ahead.

So, a little Mayo on that crow?