Patriots vs Dolphins (12.06.09)

[Bahku]

I'm the ultimate optimist, but it sure feels like this is the end of an era, and they've squeezed all they can out of it.

I would not be shocked if BB steps down after the season.

I wouldn't either ... unfortunately, for many reasons, in the NFL the first head to roll is the coach's. Charlie Weiss? Hmmm ...

[Redz]

I'm the ultimate optimist, but it sure feels like this is the end of an era, and they've squeezed all they can out of it.

I would not be shocked if BB steps down after the season.

I wouldn't either ... unfortunately, for many reasons, in the NFL the first head to roll is the coach's. Charlie Weiss? Hmmm ...

It would be tough for the Krafts to fire him.  I think it would have to come from his own volition.

[Cman]

I would not be shocked if BB steps down after the season.

Seriously?  I would be absolutely shocked.  I expect him to remain coach for at least another 5 years.

[Redz]

I would not be shocked if BB steps down after the season.

Seriously?  I would be absolutely shocked.  I expect him to remain coach for at least another 5 years.

If it continues like this?

The team is not responding to him like we're accustomed to seeing.  The great team he molded is gone.  The staff he molded has moved on. And he seems to be losing the magic touch.

There's only so long a guy can function in one setting.  I'm just wondering if he's starting to feel like the time is coming for a change.

[Bahku]

I would not be shocked if BB steps down after the season.

Seriously?  I would be absolutely shocked.  I expect him to remain coach for at least another 5 years.

If it continues like this?

The team is not responding to him like we're accustomed to seeing.  The great team he molded is gone.  The staff he molded has moved on. And he seems to be losing the magic touch.

There's only so long a guy can function in one setting.  I'm just wondering if he's starting to feel like the time is coming for a change.

I think it would be a bit from both sides ... if this team is really rebuilding, (which it seems to be), then when wholesale changes are being made, the ownership looks for new energy from the top down, and Bill may be feeling a bit stale there now and a bit under-appreciated. I think there's a greater chance of his being replaced than most people think ... unless, like I said earlier, they can pull off a miracle and get to the Super Bowl.

[Quinn]

:[

[celticsclay]

we are gonna rebuild in tom brady's prime? Randy Moss and Wes Welker? The seymore trade was probably too good a trade to turn down, even if it did hurt this years squad. However, beyond that what kind of rebuilding moves are we really making?

[crownsy]

we are gonna rebuild in tom brady's prime? Randy Moss and Wes Welker? The seymore trade was probably too good a trade to turn down, even if it did hurt this years squad. However, beyond that what kind of rebuilding moves are we really making?

rebuilding steps which are currently going on and annoying fans (myself included, believe me):

1. the defense, while loaded with potential, is agonizingly young and inexperienced, particularity in the secondary. This is a rebuilding step which already happened, and is annoying for fans to watch. Veterans like teddy, samueal, law, rodney, vrable ect were let go to be replaced with mayo, guyton, bodden, whilite, and merriweather.

That was the right move, but it will take AT LEAST this year, and probably some of next year for this defense to gel into anything approaching that 2007 defense.

2. The Seymour trade is a good trade IF AND ONLY IF they resign wilfork. The money was not there to resign both and have cap room of any kind going forward. The 2011 first round pick could also be huge, because unless the raiders suddenly turn it around, that pick will be the first post CBA.

I think the patriots are betting the farm that the 2011 pick is a top 3 that will be on some sort of rookie pay scale, similar to the NBA. If it is, that pick will be a huge part of the rebuilding.

IF the CBA put in place after 2010 does not include a rookie salary scale, then the pick is not as good, as they are not going to pay 10 million a year to whoever is thier, they will trade the pick. come on rookie pay scale!

in summary, the main problem, as we have seen the last 3 big games (indy, NO, MIA in the division), with this team is that the patriots HAD to rebuild the defense, which was just far to slow and could not go on. However, this rebuilding move is SUPER annoying because these kids, while supremely talented, and in some cases already starting to "get" it (mayo, merriweather in particular) they are still just kids playing a very "heady" veteran system.

It had to be done, and hey, if the defense puts all that talent together at the right time they might suprise someone, but a defense doesn't mature overnight, it takes time. I think this year is going to be a tough one to do anything in the playoffs with (even though i still think we win the division) because the defense lacks the experience.

But with every big game, they will learn and get better. I will grant you, watching it is annoying though.

[nickagneta]

Can't wait for the league to cry foul when Richard Seymour resigns with the Pats in the off season for a reasonable rate and then they have Seymour and the Raiders' number one pick.

Remember, no cap next year.

[Brickowski]

But with every big game, they will learn and get better. I will grant you, watching it is annoying though.

They're not getting better, they're getting worse.

"You Are what your record says you are"--- Bill Parcells

And what they are is a 7-5 team in a weak division.

[RAcker]

I was gone for the better part of the day and when I saw this score...my first thought was, "I wonder what the reaction on CelticsBlog is." 

In short, I was shocked.

[crownsy]

But with every big game, they will learn and get better. I will grant you, watching it is annoying though.

They're not getting better, they're getting worse.

"You Are what your record says you are"--- Bill Parcells

And what they are is a 7-5 team in a weak division.

there not getting worse, they are looking like exactly what i thought they would coming in. a young defense with very little experience in general and big games in particular.

Back when they were posting shutouts and getting the "OMG this defense is so much better than we thought!" treatment they were beating such powerhouses as the titans and the bucs.

It's no surprise to me that games against the colts and saints brought them right back down to earth and showed they have a long way to go.

[Brickowski]

No, today's loss brought them back down to earth.

BTW they have sucked in the second half.  Maybre Belichick worked them too hard in camp.  Or maybe he's not making the proper adjustments at halftime.

I will say they miss having a fullback.  Their running attack in the second half was worse than puny.

[Cman]

I would not be shocked if BB steps down after the season.

Seriously?  I would be absolutely shocked.  I expect him to remain coach for at least another 5 years.

If it continues like this?

By "continues like this", yes, if the Patriots lose out the rest of the season, then he and all the coordinators will probably go.  I just think that is highly unlikely.

I think you are overreacting to the last two losses; a blowout that the Pats should have been able to keep closer, and a close loss that the Pats should have won without too much trouble.

The only question going forward, IMHO, is about Brady's finger/hand.  If he has to be out for any extended period of time, then that's it for the season.  Otherwise, if he is good to go the rest of the season, then I would be shocked if the Pats missed the playoffs (although, like I said above, I don't expect them to make much noise in the playoffs, at this point).

[Redz]

I would not be shocked if BB steps down after the season.

Seriously?  I would be absolutely shocked.  I expect him to remain coach for at least another 5 years.

If it continues like this?

By "continues like this", yes, if the Patriots lose out the rest of the season, then he and all the coordinators will probably go.  I just think that is highly unlikely.

I think you are overreacting to the last two losses; a blowout that the Pats should have been able to keep closer, and a close loss that the Pats should have won without too much trouble.

The only question going forward, IMHO, is about Brady's finger/hand.  If he has to be out for any extended period of time, then that's it for the season.  Otherwise, if he is good to go the rest of the season, then I would be shocked if the Pats missed the playoffs (although, like I said above, I don't expect them to make much noise in the playoffs, at this point).

Cman, It's not so much an overreaction on my part, as a feeling I have.  Someone quoted Parcells the other day on the radio (in regards to Fox maybe leaving in Carolina), that there's only a certain amount of time you can be effective in one place (Parcells certainly hopped around plenty).  That just got me thinking that maybe the players are starting to tune Bill out in NE, and maybe he'll come to the realization that it's time to move on.

But as in optimist and a fan, I'm going to root like crazy for the Pats still.  They're in first place, and they still have a ton of talent (albeit concentrated in certain areas of the team).

It'll be interesting to see unfold.