New England Patriots Thread Mod Warning Post #253

eagle eye

A decent slot receiver as well.

I wanted us to take Tutu Atwell in the draft a couple if years ago. Small guy, lightning quick and fantastic hands.

He's not playing there for the Rams obviously as that's Kupp's position but I think he'd be great there. I'd trade for him if the price was right.

You can get away a bit with a bad line if you have a Welker type.

paulie21

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1716092867620261953?t=iZslwZgSR63BVy_3zRVynA&s=19

Looks like a few more years of this

MaddChris

1st down, called back for yet another Penalty

Fumble (bills recover)

Another penalty

Can't defend a 4th down

Touchdown Bills

Not great for the health watching this team right now.

eagle eye

This isn't an 'I told you so' because I didn't say that Mac Jones was the man. I believed in him but wasn't sure.

He got protection today and had a very good game with 272 yards split between nine different receivers. Two touchdown passes, one of which was part of a clutch drive to win the game.

After that I personally am confident that we don't need a QB. We need an offensive line and an elite receiver.

That's the first time this season or last that I remember Mac getting good protection for a full game.

MaddChris

They shut me up

My heart.........

el Fenomeno

Two things learned today.

Onwenu HAS to stay at RT. The o-line looked much better with him there.

Douglas has to stay in the slot, and JuJu better not leapfrog him when he comes back.

If the coaches go against either of these, I'll go ballistic.

StringerBell

We won a game of football, Macs most impressive drive in his time here for me too - happy with how that went overall.

eagle eye

Just looking at the division. The Dolphins haven't any notable win. The Bills beat the Dolphins and nobody else of note.

The Jets beat the Eagles, beat the Bills and haven't faced the Dolphins.

I know we are along way behind but this division might end up a lot closer than many expected a week ago.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121276914#Comment_121276914

A lot closer which does little to nothing to actually improve our position for next season. 6-11, 7-10 likely means more of the same

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121244458#Comment_121244458

I would love to see him getting some game time. We love a good gadget play at the best of times, but think how much versatility a mobile QB that can run from the backfield and can catch as a WR too offers.

MaddChris

All down hill since the TD

That last drive, gave up two 4th down conversions and then a penalty in the end zone on 3rd down. Just give them the TD, save some time.

So frustrating.....

AbusesToilets

Just nothing to get excited for with this team. Blatant helmet hit on Parker ignored there

AbusesToilets

Que sera, sera. Bill has no answer to Miami whatsoever for the last 3 seasons. Mac with another middling to bad performance.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121299572#Comment_121299572

Anny comment to make about the offensive line's performance?

You know the guys in front of Mac who gave him protection for the first time this season last week when he had a very good game.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121303853#Comment_121303853

They're bad, like Mac is bad. One swallow etc

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121305441#Comment_121305441

What was Mac like last week when he got protection?

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121307323#Comment_121307323

Pretty average. You think Mac is worth sticking with, I don't . Blow it up and start again.

ELM327

wanted one competent QB.

Signed

Robert Kraft

eagle eye

We currently sit third from bottom in the league. Kyler Murray looks set to start for the Cards and he usually starts hot before falling apart so heres hoping he can bad a few wins. The Panthers don't look like they can do anything, they play the Bears this weekend so you'd never know.

If we get the no.1 pick we can get the best QB and hopefully then make some moves to get him protection. I'd still love if we got Caleb Williams but we need a lot to go our way to end up with the no.1 pick.

Watched the Jets last night, they are awful on offense.

paulie21

Rumours going around that Bill could be fired if we lose on Sunday. I'd highly doubt that'd be true, move on in the off season if necessary, he deserves that at least

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121338754#Comment_121338754

I think Kraft takes the team's brand pretty seriously, he can't stand being a loser. It would not surprise me if he takes action before the season is out.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121338754#Comment_121338754

He shouldn't be fired ever.

I would ask him to just concentrate on coaching though and give up his role as general manager.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121338908#Comment_121338908

I'll want him gone if he fires Bill. I'd never forgive him. I'd turn up at games just to incite the crowd into booing him.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339372#Comment_121339372

I think it would be more likely Kraft would ask him to quietly retire, but I don't know if Bill would do that.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339480#Comment_121339480

No chance he'll do it. He wants the all-time wins record. He's 28 away from it.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339730#Comment_121339730

Perhaps Bill should've moved on when Brady left. A clean break at a new team, where he wouldn't be constrained with the issues from his GM'ing and the void of Tom.

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339730#Comment_121339730

28 away and the way they have gone this season he’ll be a long time waiting. I don’t see why he wouldn’t control his send off. He could do a Tom coughlan type thing where both sides get to say nice things about the other and bring out the Lombardis and ride off into the sun set. This season is already a wash and I don’t think his last few seasons should be a disaster.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339782#Comment_121339782

Look we all know how good the GOAT was but we won Superbowls because our defense. We lost Superbowls because if our offense. Most often we win because both were great.

Bill had every bit as much, or more, of a hand in all our Superbowl wins.

I'm not happy with our current situation but it can be fixed.

A few bad years is nothing to worry about. It's the fans who started following us since the start of the new century that are the problem. They never experienced bad times. Every franchise has a couple of bad seasons and then a couple of good ones, we had lots of the bad ones in the 80's and 90's since I first became a fan.

It's not near panic time yet. We still have a good defense and that's without Judon and Gonzalez which makes it all the more impressive.

We need an offensive line, tackles most importantly and a true no.1 wide receiver. We may need a QB too.

A good draft and maybe some investment in FA and we very well could be back in the picture very quickly.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339801#Comment_121339801

You probably only started following the team in the 00's. You seen a ridiculous run of success. It's okay to have a couple of seasons of downtime. We will be back.

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339820#Comment_121339820

I don’t follow the patriots. And no need to be so condescending even if I did with your first sentence.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339818#Comment_121339818

I'm sorry, what? You could say defense was more responsible for the first SB, but overall the offense was the key to winning from there on out imo. Lest we forget that Brady and the offense had one of the best games ever in 52, and Bill's defense **** the bed.

The whole coaching side needs an overhaul. Belichick had become far too nepotistic, too many guys in position who haven't demonstrated ability to warrant it.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339945#Comment_121339945

Yes the first Superbowl win was the defense.

Our third was shared by both sides in a 24-21 win.

We lost by three points in 2007 season by 17-14. Defense did its job, offense did not. We lost by four points in 2010 by 21-17. Offense didn't do its job again.

A goal line interception beat the Seahawks. That's a defensive win but the offense scored 28 points so they deserve credit too. A shared win there.

We won 13-3 over the Rams, defense won that game.

So that's two wins for the defense, two shared and two for the offense against the Panthers and Falcons.

The loss to the Eagles was on the defense. So two losses on the offense and one on the defense.

Are you disagreeing with any of that now I've spelled it out?

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339823#Comment_121339823

Can you tell me why you are jumping in seeing as you are not a fan?

I know you are free to post on any thread but this is fans talking about our current situation.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339975#Comment_121339975

I'd argue that the defense lost both SBs against the Giants more than the offense did. Both times Brady led go ahead drives in the 4th, only to for the defense to give up game winning TDs.

Christy42

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121340044#Comment_121340044

The game is more than one drive. The only reason Brady could put them ahead was because the defense held them the full game waiting for Brady to put up points. Realistically if the offense had good games those go ahead touchdowns should have been putting the game out of reach. If the defense is holding teams to under 20 points they did their job in a superbowl (in the modern era).

However they didn't and superbowls are difficult to win.

Shedite27

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121339976#Comment_121339976

This would be a bit of an echo chamber if we didn't have other fans contributing. Sometimes the most honest opinions are those tha aren't blinded by PAts-coloured glasses

ArmaniJeanss

I preferred when we had heated arguments about playing the starters in Week 17, balancing the risk of potential injury against whether having that week off, plus the bye-week, would be too long a break for players.

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121338754#Comment_121338754

BB has done so much for the org, he will never and should never be fired. He should be allowed leave on his own terms. What I'd prefer is a gradual handing over of the reigns. Let BB either focus on coaching and hand off GM duties or vice versa. Preferably handing off the GM duties so he can get the win record and I think Bill the coach is a lot better than Bill the GM.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121347592#Comment_121347592

I'm fully in agreement with you. He should give up the GM role. We might get somebody in who can find offensive talent. 😁

But seriously, at his age it's a lot of work. He's the greatest coach in the history of the sport. I'd love to see him get the wins record but he's not getting it without a decent offense.

As I've said many times it's four positions max that need to be addressed, that's left and right tackle, elite receiver and probably QB.

It's possible to fix three of those problems in one draft and then spend big on the elite receiver or left tackle in FA.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121347592#Comment_121347592

What do you if he doesn't want to let though? There comes a point where you have to ask if he's bigger than the team.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121349293#Comment_121349293

If you could roll it all back instead of having this season or last would you do it? No Superbowls, no Brady, no great memories?

That's twenty years of greatness gone.

Now imagine if Belichick was fired after his opening 5-11 season, that's exactly where you'd be now.

So how about we give him time. I think the greatest coach in the history of the game deserves lots of that.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121349471#Comment_121349471

We're not talking about a coach in his first season though. Belichick has basically had a full rebuild cycle at this stage, with a 1st Rd QB on a rookie deal. He was able to spend lavishly in FA (Henry, Judon, Smith). What has been the result? Each season worse than the last, with the team nowhere near competing for a playoff spot.

Any other coach likely gets fired this season with that record.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121349594#Comment_121349594

Do you disagree that two offensive tackles and a top wide receiver and maybe a QB would put us back in serious contention?

Mr. Guappa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121349997#Comment_121349997

This was also the case 9 months ago though (maybe less so on the QB at that time). And nothing was done to address those positions in either FA or the draft.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121350187#Comment_121350187

That's true and i was very unhappy about it. Thing is Gonzalez looks the business and was a good first round pick.

Keion White is being brought along slowly but he looks a serious prospect as well. He'll be ready to explode onto the scene next season.

That leaves is in the position that resigning Uche isn't a huge concern. We can, and hopefully will, resign Kyle Dugger who I think is the best SS in the league.

So our defense looks sorted, now it's time to sort out the offense.

There's a lot of serious QB talent coming out in 2024 and we should be in position to sign one of them. I've said you can't evaluate Mac over the last two seasons because of how bad the offensive line is but I don't think he has the ceiling that the likes of Williams, Maye, McCarthy or Penix jr has.

Mike Evans is a free agent in '24 and the Bucs will be unable to pay him. He's exactly what we need at WR.

Tyron Smith is a free agent as well and he'd be the perfect guy to bring in as a mentor to rookie tackles. He'd do a good job playing a limited number of snaps while introducing the rookies to the game.

If they are willing to risk Mac for another year then we can move back in the draft and get a tackle in the first round and another in the second. That'd leave us in great shape with two picks the following year which could be used to move up the draft if we decide we need a QB.

Anyway, I'm of the opinion that we are at worst four players away from being serious contenders again.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121351176#Comment_121351176

If we have a top 5 pick, we'd be foolish not to look to replace Mac. An elite QB is the single biggest factor in winning nowadays, there's no getting around it . OL and WR can be patched up in FA in a way that QB just can't unless it's a Haley's Comet situation with Brady or Rodgers hitting free agency.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121351926#Comment_121351926

I presume you read where I said I don't think Mac has a ceiling as high as the presumptive top four QBs in next year's draft class?

AbusesToilets

You've been fairly pro Mac of late in fairness. There's a rotten core in the team at the moment, between too many dead weight players, and the coaching staff. Bill fumbled the post Brady rebuild and needs to massively recalibrate going forward or step aside

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121352729#Comment_121352729

Just to clear things up. I'm not confident that Mac is the guy. All I've been saying is that it's impossible to know because he hasn't had even an average offensive line since his rookie season and it was bang average that season.

I don't agree with anybody who has decided he's not good enough. The reason for that is there's no way to know how good or bad he is.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121353232#Comment_121353232

Can't agree with that. There's plenty of evidence of his physical short comings. He's simply never going to be on the level of other elite QBs. As to his mental characteristics, however you want to apportion responsibility, he's been the opposite of clutch, and frequently throws bad picks.

I'm thoroughly convinced that he's not the guy at this stage.