Why tanking does not work in the NFL and could doom the Patriots long-term

[StrawHatPatriot]

How the hell are you bringing up Anthony Richardson when he was looking good before he got hurt?


And tanking does work pretty well sometimes. The Bengals got Burrow, the Jaguars got Lawrence, and the Cardinals broke a playoff drought with Kyler Murray, so you could argue that was still worth it too. The Colts won multiple playoff games with Andrew Luck. The Houston Texans last season didn't really spend money to improve the team at all, so in a way they were basically soft-tanking for a high pick.

Mentioning times where it backfired doesn't prove that it doesn't work. It just means that it isn't perfect... which is the case for everything.

For every Chiefs or 49ers who got Mahomes and Purdy without committing to a tank job, there's a team that was stuck being 4-7 wins for a decade like the 2000s Bills. Look at the Panthers. They did not tank last year - they were trying to win the division. And they traded up to get Bryce young, who isn't looking good right now...

 

[condon84]

Yup, see it the same way. If we could have an offense that can average 24 ppg OR move the ball enough to shift field position and give our D breathers.... the sky is the limit.

The only game we won with the score close was against the Bills, the only game Mac has played well this season.

Some people refuse to believe Mac is the reason why our offense is crap.

 

[Ivan]

The only game we won with the score close was against the Bills, the only game Mac has played well this season.

Some people refuse to believe Mac is the reason why our offense is crap.

I don’t believe it’s just Mac, I believe they need a better OL, better receivers, and a better OC, but I also believe that Mac Jones isn’t a good QB, and they need to find one that is.

 

[tom444]

Mac's career is finished.

 

[sportnik]

Whatever, I’ll take my chances with Drake Maye.

 

[tom444]

Tanking didn't get us Brady. The Steelers passed on Marino. GB traded for Farve. Johnny Unitas was a semi-pro. Kurt Warner came from Arena Football. Etc. Forget tanking and just go about your business.

 

[StrawHatPatriot]

In laughing at you guys talking about culture.

Last year the team could have tanked but they decided to try and they finished 8-9.

What did that do for the Pats this year? They're worse.

This patriots team is literally why you tank or make aggressive trades/purchases in the first place. Being mediocre doesn't do **** other than cause a team to delude themselves into running it back with the same roster.

 

[StrawHatPatriot]

Tanking didn't get us Brady. The Steelers passed on Marino. GB traded for Farve. Johnny Unitas was a semi-pro. Kurt Warner came from Arena Football. Etc. Forget tanking and just go about your business.

Tanking got Burrow. The Colts being bad got them Peyton. Colts tanking got them Luck. Tanking got the Jaguars Lawrence. The Texans being bad got them Stroud. The Lions snapped their playoff drought after being bad and getting Matthew Stafford.

You don't have to tank, but tanking/being bad can be effective.

 

[everlong]

I'm rooting for all these team and especially the Panthers and Cards. Yes you can say both could pass on a QB because of Kyler but even if they do they'll trade back for a haul. I'd say let the tanking begin but they've already been doing that without trying.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Tanking got Burrow. The Colts being bad got them Peyton. Colts tanking got them Luck. Tanking got the Jaguars Lawrence. The Texans being bad got them Stroud. The Lions snapped their playoff drought after being bad and getting Matthew Stafford.

You don't have to tank, but tanking/being bad can be effective.

You just have to make the right pick or you’re doing it again.

 

[StrawHatPatriot]

You just have to make the right pick or you’re doing it again.

Pretty much. No matter the method, you gotta pick right

 

[libra957]

Tanking assumes you're one player away. This team has holes everywhere.

 

[Steve102]

Yep, there’s too much noise that Bill passes up talented players on purpose because he doesn’t want to deal with potential personalities.

So it may not be that the “talent evaluation” is poor, but that Bill is choosing players that are easier to coach.

I don’t know about the term “easier to coach” per se, but I think there’s definitely too much emphasis on A Bill Type Guy.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Tanking assumes you're one player away. This team has holes everywhere.

Not necessarily, you can have a terrible team and tank, you don't have to be one player away to try and get the top pick.

 

[Since1960]

Unless Mac is taking orders, that wasn’t a “tank” but rather a pitiful QB throwing an interception off his back foot with 2 open receivers in the End Zone.

 

[Hyped]

The only game we won with the score close was against the Bills, the only game Mac has played well this season.

Some people refuse to believe Mac is the reason why our offense is crap.

After today's side armed interception in the red zone....it might be so.... can't believe Jones didn't throw that ball with an arc over the top...that was an easy TD to Geisicki...

I think Mac is broken...ever since that six pass attempt win in Buffalo back in December of 2021, the Patriots are 8-21 in games that Jones has started...and I didn't count that Bears game where he was yanked....

Too bad though...today was okay until that interception...some good runs and taking sacks vs. blindly throwing the ball... dunno what we are gonna do.

Not impressed with Caleb Williams and Penix looked so so yesterday....Bo Nix looked good...dunno about Drake Maye...need to see him play, but like his size the best..I am wary of short QB's...no disrespect to Doug Flutie...

 

[Joey007]

In the case of the Patriots, I would say it is different:

a.) We do have an elite D with Gonzalez/Judon in the fold, IMO. Even now with our D giving up uncharacteristic big plays, I see it as a result of T.O.P.

b.) We will also have a top 5 cap space the next 3 seasons.

c.) I think we are 1 OT away from being a top 7 OL (assuming we resign Onwenu, Andrews plays another year, and Strange gets better).

d.) We need game breakers on offense...and those are best found early in the draft.

This. Despite how things looks, this roster is not an empty cupboard.

Defense is nearly built other than a couple pieces.

Offense needs a lot, but at least has a few starting pieces.

 

[grux]

After today's side armed interception in the red zone....it might be so.... can't believe Jones didn't throw that ball with an arc over the top...that was an easy TD to Geisicki...

I think Mac is broken...ever since that six pass attempt win in Buffalo back in December of 2021, the Patriots are 8-21 in games that Jones has started...and I didn't count that Bears game where he was yanked....

Too bad though...today was okay until that interception...some good runs and taking sacks vs. blindly throwing the ball... dunno what we are gonna do.

Not impressed with Caleb Williams and Penix looked so so yesterday....Bo Nix looked good...dunno about Drake Maye...need to see him play, but like his size the best..I am wary of short QB's...no disrespect to Doug Flutie...

I agree that Mac is broken. I thought he might turn into a decent QB but that last int today was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. I would start Zappe and see if he show enough to be a good back up. Tough times indeed.

 

[Ivan]

Mac's career is finished.

I won’t go that far, but he’s going to have to transform himself into a completely different QB to succeed in this league. He’s had 3 years to improve his arm strength, decision making, and his strength and athletic ability-in football terms, and it doesn’t seem as if he has made any progress in any of those areas. However Geno Smith is now the starting QB in Seattle, and I thought he had retired at the same time as Andy Katzenmoyer, so anything is possible.

 

[Ivan]

Not necessarily, you can have a terrible team and tank, you don't have to be one player away to try and get the top pick.

If you were a player on an NFL team, and the coach told you to play like **** so the team can get a higher pick what would you do?