Looking at the Patriots 2023

I’ve been reading and stated silent long enough.
Belichick wouldn’t have a single ring without Brady. Not one. He have been fired as an HC, and turned into a Wade Phillips type as a good defensive coordinator.
This is unreal. It was apparent to anyone with half a brain that bringing back matty judge were huge mistakes. I got called a troll and a Bucs fan for pointing that out last offseason.
Hawg you point to this past draft as the envy of the league.
It doesn’t matter, because there’s no QB to take advantage of it, and when there was a QB that could Belichick signed off on 9 drafts in row that were flat out awful.
And frankly this past draft yielded a starting guard for a first round pick…… (no team in the league would trade a 2nd for strange), a WR one trick pony at best, who is slight of frame and prone to injury in Thornton (and I was happy to get some speed at the position), and some corners who are good but can’t lock down true big number one WRs.
All that said, I’m ok with the draft. But it’s not the envy of the league.
This in BB we trust stuff is unreal. He has a losing record without Brady. I know don’t like to mention Brady’s name, but it needs to be said.
Mac has about two years till his window shuts. HE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN WHEN HE GETS PAST HIS ROOKIE DEAL!!!!!!
He needs a team around him, and he’s gonna want to get paid.
Uggghhhhh this in BB we trust stuff makes me sick. Now Bill O’Brien is back and I want to puke…….. please tell me he won’t be the next HC.
I agree with all of this, except for your last sentence. I like Bill O’Brien being back, but I definitely don’t want him as Head Coach. I do think hopefully he will be good for Mac, but let’s face it we’re in this position as you said because Bill hired Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, which were the two most ridiculous hires, perhaps in his coaching history, and both you and I called it before the season began.

My honest feeling is this team is not going to contend again until Bill goes. After watching this past season and everything he has done as GM for the last 7-8 years it is clear to everyone who is not a homer that he has to go. We need to go out and get a franchise quarterback and Bill is not the person to pick that quarterback nor put a team around him to contend again. To me that was very apparent this year. Bill only wants to be surrounded by his yes men. Even the rehire of O’Brien is another retread so Bill is comfortable. I would’ve given anything to see Kellen Moore come here when he became available yesterday, but Bill would never do something like that, he only wants his guys.
 
I’ve been reading and stated silent long enough.
Belichick wouldn’t have a single ring without Brady. Not one. He have been fired as an HC, and turned into a Wade Phillips type as a good defensive coordinator.
This is unreal. It was apparent to anyone with half a brain that bringing back matty judge were huge mistakes. I got called a troll and a Bucs fan for pointing that out last offseason.
Hawg you point to this past draft as the envy of the league.
It doesn’t matter, because there’s no QB to take advantage of it, and when there was a QB that could Belichick signed off on 9 drafts in row that were flat out awful.
And frankly this past draft yielded a starting guard for a first round pick…… (no team in the league would trade a 2nd for strange), a WR one trick pony at best, who is slight of frame and prone to injury in Thornton (and I was happy to get some speed at the position), and some corners who are good but can’t lock down true big number one WRs.
All that said, I’m ok with the draft. But it’s not the envy of the league.
This in BB we trust stuff is unreal. He has a losing record without Brady. I know don’t like to mention Brady’s name, but it needs to be said.
Mac has about two years till his window shuts. HE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN WHEN HE GETS PAST HIS ROOKIE DEAL!!!!!!
He needs a team around him, and he’s gonna want to get paid.
Uggghhhhh this in BB we trust stuff makes me sick. Now Bill O’Brien is back and I want to puke…….. please tell me he won’t be the next HC.

I agree with all of this, except for your last sentence. I like Bill O’Brien being back, but I definitely don’t want him as Head Coach. I do think hopefully he will be good for Mac, but let’s face it we’re in this position as you said because Bill hired Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, which were the two most ridiculous hires, perhaps in his coaching history, and both you and I called it before the season began.

My honest feeling is this team is not going to contend again until Bill goes. After watching this past season and everything he has done as GM for the last 7-8 years it is clear to everyone who is not a homer that he has to go. We need to go out and get a franchise quarterback and Bill is not the person to pick that quarterback nor put a team around him to contend again. To me that was very apparent this year. Bill only wants to be surrounded by his yes men. Even the rehire of O’Brien is another retread so Bill is comfortable. I would’ve given anything to see Kellen Moore come here when he became available yesterday, but Bill would never do something like that, he only wants his guys.
I don't think we have any real idea how good Mac is or isn't. He hasn't shown that he's The Guy, but I don't think he's shown that he's not. I mean, Josh Allen definitely wasn't after his first two years. Mac showed as much as a rookie as pretty much any rookie has. He slumped at the end of the year, which is pretty typical for a couple reasons: 1) rookie wall, and 2) the league gets tape on him in the system and starts to be able to adjust.

I do know that the situation last year forced Mac to play with his greatest weapon - his brain and processing speed - tied behind his back. Further, with the desperation of the situation he allowed himself to be pressured into trying to play hero ball. Even if you ignore the actual shortcomings of the scheme, and the failure to use things like motion and play action to let Mac diagnose and cook, just the operational problems were a massive handicap. The garbage gameday operations meant that the play was rarely into Mac before the play clock hit 15, or even 10. That limits his ability to make presnap reads, allows the D to tee off and time the snap, and causes huge time constraints (and potential miscommunications) on any audibles/alerts.

Bill O'Brien should be a good hire. He's been successful (relative to circumstance) everywhere he's been:
  • He absolutely gifted Matt Cassell his contract with the Chefs, and made that offense hum pretty well even without Brady...and without being able to plan around not having Brady like for the first 4 games of the suspension year.
  • He navigated the aging and departure of Moss, and ran the top offense in the NFL with Walker as WR1 and no one behind him except the mummified corpse of Deion Branch. He used what he had available, whether it be Moss/Walker and an eclectic hodgepodge of RBs, or Gronk/Welker/Hernandez.
  • Penn State's football program would probably still be in shambles if he hadn't taken on nearly an impossible situation.
  • He brought a very mediocre Texans team to the playoffs and made them a tough out.
  • His offenses at Alabama we're strong, and kept the team in games even when the vaunted defense was letting them down.

I have no reason to expect to be disappointed by the O'Brien hire. I'm not over the moon, but the hire has a very high floor. Given the emerging young talent, we have every reason to be optimistic...except the absolute gauntlet that the AFC has become, and will likely add Rodgers to the Jets.
 
4 of the 5 best BB offenses ever were Bill O’Brien offenses by DVOA. Not worried about the offense if they fix OT and OLine. Ironically even though it was this year’s strength, the defense needs retooling at outside CB1, MLB, FS, NT
 
I don't think we have any real idea how good Mac is or isn't. He hasn't shown that he's The Guy, but I don't think he's shown that he's not. I mean, Josh Allen definitely wasn't after his first two years. Mac showed as much as a rookie as pretty much any rookie has. He slumped at the end of the year, which is pretty typical for a couple reasons: 1) rookie wall, and 2) the league gets tape on him in the system and starts to be able to adjust.

I do know that the situation last year forced Mac to play with his greatest weapon - his brain and processing speed - tied behind his back. Further, with the desperation of the situation he allowed himself to be pressured into trying to play hero ball. Even if you ignore the actual shortcomings of the scheme, and the failure to use things like motion and play action to let Mac diagnose and cook, just the operational problems were a massive handicap. The garbage gameday operations meant that the play was rarely into Mac before the play clock hit 15, or even 10. That limits his ability to make presnap reads, allows the D to tee off and time the snap, and causes huge time constraints (and potential miscommunications) on any audibles/alerts.

Bill O'Brien should be a good hire. He's been successful (relative to circumstance) everywhere he's been:
  • He absolutely gifted Matt Cassell his contract with the Chefs, and made that offense hum pretty well even without Brady...and without being able to plan around not having Brady like for the first 4 games of the suspension year.
  • He navigated the aging and departure of Moss, and ran the top offense in the NFL with Walker as WR1 and no one behind him except the mummified corpse of Deion Branch. He used what he had available, whether it be Moss/Walker and an eclectic hodgepodge of RBs, or Gronk/Welker/Hernandez.
  • Penn State's football program would probably still be in shambles if he hadn't taken on nearly an impossible situation.
  • He brought a very mediocre Texans team to the playoffs and made them a tough out.
  • His offenses at Alabama we're strong, and kept the team in games even when the vaunted defense was letting them down.

I have no reason to expect to be disappointed by the O'Brien hire. I'm not over the moon, but the hire has a very high floor. Given the emerging young talent, we have every reason to be optimistic...except the absolute gauntlet that the AFC has become, and will likely add Rodgers to the Jets.
i agree w/you...but i think cassell was because of josh's playcalling too.
 
The superb owl is an endangered species or so I heard.....

~Dee~

JK
I heard they were anticipating more sightings in the NE area due to recent conservation efforts by BB.
 
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I don't think we have any real idea how good Mac is or isn't. He hasn't shown that he's The Guy, but I don't think he's shown that he's not. I mean, Josh Allen definitely wasn't after his first two years. Mac showed as much as a rookie as pretty much any rookie has. He slumped at the end of the year, which is pretty typical for a couple reasons: 1) rookie wall, and 2) the league gets tape on him in the system and starts to be able to adjust.

I do know that the situation last year forced Mac to play with his greatest weapon - his brain and processing speed - tied behind his back. Further, with the desperation of the situation he allowed himself to be pressured into trying to play hero ball. Even if you ignore the actual shortcomings of the scheme, and the failure to use things like motion and play action to let Mac diagnose and cook, just the operational problems were a massive handicap. The garbage gameday operations meant that the play was rarely into Mac before the play clock hit 15, or even 10. That limits his ability to make presnap reads, allows the D to tee off and time the snap, and causes huge time constraints (and potential miscommunications) on any audibles/alerts.

Bill O'Brien should be a good hire. He's been successful (relative to circumstance) everywhere he's been:
  • He absolutely gifted Matt Cassell his contract with the Chefs, and made that offense hum pretty well even without Brady...and without being able to plan around not having Brady like for the first 4 games of the suspension year.
  • He navigated the aging and departure of Moss, and ran the top offense in the NFL with Walker as WR1 and no one behind him except the mummified corpse of Deion Branch. He used what he had available, whether it be Moss/Walker and an eclectic hodgepodge of RBs, or Gronk/Welker/Hernandez.
  • Penn State's football program would probably still be in shambles if he hadn't taken on nearly an impossible situation.
  • He brought a very mediocre Texans team to the playoffs and made them a tough out.
  • His offenses at Alabama we're strong, and kept the team in games even when the vaunted defense was letting them down.

I have no reason to expect to be disappointed by the O'Brien hire. I'm not over the moon, but the hire has a very high floor. Given the emerging young talent, we have every reason to be optimistic...except the absolute gauntlet that the AFC has become, and will likely add Rodgers to the Jets.
Very nice post.

I had not heard that Rodgers is going to the Jete? Is it a legit report?
 
On Patriots radio they were discussing that if Patricia and Judge left the Pats it would be a bad look for BB. "BB puts them into difficult positions then dumps them". Who else would then want to work in Foxboro?
And I would think BB has told them they have a place with the Pats.

Do hear whispers of Judge coming back.
 
On Patriots radio they were discussing that if Patricia and Judge left the Pats it would be a bad look for BB. "BB puts them into difficult positions then dumps them". Who else would then want to work in Foxboro?
And I would think BB has told them they have a place with the Pats.

Do hear whispers of Judge coming back.

Patricia in the Ernie role, Judge back to special teams. See ya later useless Nick Caley
 
Jules discussed Billy O.

Julian Edelman discusses Bill O’Brien, Mac Jones in Q&A​

Edelman worked with O'Brien during his first three years as a Patriot.​


While Tom Brady made a big splash this week when he retired on Wednesday, his former teammate Julian Edelman has been keeping his name in the news as well recently.

On Tuesday, Edelman was one of the marquee names at the opening of the Encore Boston Harbor’s sportsbook, and on Thursday he released a Q&A along with bookies.com.

During the conversation, Edelman talked about his relationship with Brady and how much support Brady has supplied as Edelman learns how to be a father.

“He’s a great father, so he’s been an unbelievable help,” Edelman said. “Not just football, but in all life.”

Edelman, a Patriots wide receiver for all 12 of his professional seasons, previously worked with O’Brien from 2009 to 2011. The former wideout mentioned that O’Brien could be hard on a player but it would always come from a place of love.

“They call him ‘Tea Pot’ for a reason. He used to yell at me a lot. In my rookie year, it was me that he would just get on,” Edelman said. “But Billy O’s the kind of guy that if he shows you attention, if he’s yelling at you, that means he loves you. In the times that he’s not talking to you, or if he’s not yelling at you, that’s when you’ve got to be worried.”

Edelman did also include that despite his emotionally charged conversations with players, O’Brien brings a lot to the table as an offensive mind who can relieve stress from Bill Belichick.

“The thing that I like about Billy O. is, it’s going to allow Bill Belichick to really focus on everything else and on the team. I felt like the little things slipped away this last year,” Edelman said. “He’s a former head coach, [Belichick] can bounce ideas off him. [Belichick] can think of the macro on offense. [Belichick] can focus on the macro. That’s why [Belichick] is the best. He had his foot in everything last year. It’s taken him away from looking at the full piece.”

To conclude his Q&A, Edelman talked about Jones,who struggled in his second season in the league but who is expected to bounce back under O’Brien, who he first met when the two were at Alabama in 2021.

“It’s going to be a comfortable relationship.,” Edelman said. “I expect Mac to have a huge jump. Mac’s a young guy. There’s a couple guys that called him out, former Patriots, but that’s a frustrating situation that he was in. I understand and he’s learned from that. He got better as the year went on. I expect a big leap this year.”
 
Jules discussed Billy O.

O'Brien is a massive add. Best coach to come from BB's tree. O'Brien is basically a NFL head coach caliber talent coming here as just a coordinator. BB will be able to get all the other little things right not having to worry about the offense as much.
 
If Billy O can get Mac going with the two very good TEs we have, especially, it will make a dramatic difference. Allied to the very strong run game and then maybe, getting Hopkins could see a sea change on offense. They must fix the O Line though first.
 
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