This entire board is dedicated to the concept of fans getting caught up in amateur over analysis. We're fans. We're amateurs. And we discuss and analyze. What's the big deal?
No, it isn't. It becomes that for some. And disagreeing with tortured over analysis isn't trolling except to those who become so invested in their own over wrought analysis they can't comprehend the validity of those who debunk it.
Brady's job here is to get the ball to his playmakers. When there is a problem doing that Bill generally adjusts to the issue by replacing the problem guys who aren't contributing significantly to the effort as opposed to mandating Brady waste time forcibly targeting those who don't consistently make plays. He's actually been asked about this imaginary phenomenon (Brady stubbornly targeting certain guys at the expense of others perceived by the questioner as viable options) and debunked that theory on numerous occasions. He's not looking for formulaic, statistical balance. He's looking for ways to win games. When they don't win them all fans tend to over react and over analyze. Some demand wholesale changes on the theory that had they just approached the situation differently (ran instead of passing or passed instead of running) the result would have been success. When the truth is had they just done enough (executed and made plays that were there or fielded a team that was healthy/deep enough to consistently make plays) the liklihood is they would have succeeded regardless of the play called.
Bill has addressed what he saw as shortcomings of the 2011 team this offseason. He's added 2 fullbacks and allowed his primary back to walk and replaced him with another veteran presence who could even be an upgrade if healthy (as could either of the sophomores be provided they can get or stay on the field) because his analysis revealed we were not able to run the ball efficiently enough to win. We don't need to run it more, just run it better. He's added no nonsense, veteran competition at the outside WR position, not because he sees a need to become more vertical but because we were unable to consistently stretch the field sufficiently horizontally to counter elite defenses capable of bringing pressure without sacrificing coverage. He's added 2 more TE's to the mix because he learned the hard way that you can't run a 2 TE offense with 2 TE's on the roster because no matter how talented they may be because **** happens...
He basically plugged nagging gaps on offense via FA while turning 6 draft picks in the first three rounds into just 7 and investing all but one of them in upgrading/infusing talent on defense. He's retooled the defense and in the process rendered debating of 3-4 vs. 4-3 a fools game in persuit of the ability to field a morphing, multiple front nightmare defense for opposing QB's and OC's to grapple with for a change.
Now, feel free to disagree and maintain that he is totally missing the mark or the rest of us are misinterpreting all of this when he is actually doing what you have deduced is what he must - shifting focus onto the running game and the vertical passing game and opening up the middle of the field to his young TE's who have flourished by abandoning a matchup dictated offense that has carried the offense for much of the last 5 seasons due in large measiure to the presence of the best slot WR in the game. Even though he failed to add the feature back or prototypical, tall speed burner #1 WR.
Bill has assessed all the deficits that have bitten him in the ass over the last 3 seasons on both sides of the ball. An aging defense that was woefully short on talent and impact. A RB committee that couldn't consistently get either the tough short yards or chunks of yards. A 2 TE offense that spent more time blocking than receiving behind an athletic but undersized however cerebral OL. A WR core that couldn't get open outside the numbers or even capitalize on single coverage anymore not to mention lacked the capacity to learn to perform reliably in a read and react precision driven offense.
He didn't approach the task he saw at hand by signing the big ticket FA DE or trading for the blazing vertical threat WR or disgruntled 1600 yard back nor did he draft them. Instead he signed a bunch of complimentary pieces including a couple of fullbacks to front a younger RB by committee and adding solid when healthy RB to replace a consistent but unspectacular veteran back, and a handful of 30 something receivers including 3 (and not a true #1 among them other than occasionally by default) with system experience outside the numbers and a potential upgrade backup slot receiver if healthy, and a veteran safety.
And then on draft day he traded up incrementally twice and drafted 2 first rounders for the front 7 and a versatile db in the second and another DE in the third after trading back before reeling in 2 more developmental secondary players and ending the draft with a developmental...slot receiver.
This sounds like a guy intent on reinventing the wheel...on defense. Not overhauling the offense. He's spent sufficient time and effort on that between 2007 to 2010. All it now requires is tweeking to insure you have players with requisite capacity and sufficient depth behind them. I learn a lot just observing Bill and figuring out what he's doing and why. And less reading about what fans want him to do. I have little interest in trying to second guess him or pontificate about what he should be doing. I'm a fan, I grasp my limitations. He's a pro headed to Canton. And I accept that no team wins it all all the time and that harsh reality doesn't automatically mandate wholesale changes on the side of the ball that consistently gets you there.
This team (and not the offense) did need to be re-balanced, but it was the defense that had lost it's here over the last 5 years. Balance wins championships, and Bill is focused on elevating his defense by infusing versitile talent that can take advantage of superior coaching instead of relying on it like duct tape to just hold the fort and hope to god that Brady can keep bailing them out.
So knock yourself out reconfiguring a top tier offense. I'm gonna watch what Bill is doing on defense.
