Belichick made a conscious decision before the season to tear down his defense, and go with younger, unproven players, especially in the secondary and at LB.

Vrabel, Bruschi, Harrison, Seymour, Hobbs, Seau, Colvin, all gone. Samuel allowed to leave a season ago.

Ty Warren has been doing his best impression of the Invisible Man.

Wilfolk has been ineffective since the Colts game. Addai ran right past him for the TD that brought them within 6, and his fat ass screened Mayo from seeing the play.

The Pats rank 27th out of 32 teams in the NFL in sacks.

The formula that worked when they let guys like Milloy, Law, Washington, Johnson et al leave ran its course.

Sooner or later, letting top defenders go via free agency, and trading down in draft choices to avoid the big ticket contracts is going to bite you in the ass. Now it did. Maybe BB thought that his high powered offense could outscore every good team--but when they ran into good defensive teams (Denver, the Jets and now the Saints) that philosophy didn't cut it. Good defenses usually stop good offenses in big spots--that lesson should have been learned after the last SB.

They very well could have lost the second Jets game if Sanchez didn't literally throw it away.

Maybe time to thank your lucky stars that Ronnie Brown is out for the Fish ;)

I think it is a chance he took much like when he let Branch go and tried to use no name receivers. Some work some don't, but I would say more times than not he has a pretty good track record. Tough to win every year and even repeat in the NFL.

And that worked out so well that he went out and got Moss and Welker, after the last 2 year hiatus from the Super Bowl.

And since 2005, they've obtained a grand total of one impact player in the draft---Mayo. Maroney's been mostly a bust. Other than Merriweather, is anyone from the 2007 draft still on the roster? The pick of this year's draft looks like Vollmer, but you need more than one impact player every other year out of the draft.

Brady and Moss only have a few years left, and if these kids like Butler, Wheatley, Merriweather, Wilhite, Chung, McKenzie etc don't pan out......

So far their best DB has been Bodden, a journeyman out of a Division 1-AA school.

I can't argue with you about him taking chances on these guys but how many teams draft multiple players that start right away or can afford to go out and sign multiple impact players. Don't forget how disappointing Adalius Thomas has been too. 3 super bowls since 2001 ain't chopped liver though. He must be doing something right. Don't forget all the coaches they have lost. I feel that has a detrimental effect on a team too. Heck look what he did with a back up qb last year, not bad. I am just saying you can't always hit home runs and yes they overestimated how much they had and were willing to go without this year.

Luckily we had some idea it was a rebuilding (hopefully we can call it that down the road) year.

Otherwise I'd be far more miserable about it.

A whole lot of draft picks to barter with come the next draft.

I always imagined this year as a stepping stone. Brady needed to get back in the grove, secondary needs development, a decision on which of the 4 Backs will stay.

I long for the days we don't have to watch Maroney dance around the back field losing yardage.


Edit: Pete beat me to it.

The Rams, Cardinals (at home in a blizzard), Niners, Seahawks, Raiders and Chiefs, along with the Bills twice, had a lot to do with his success last year with Cassell. So did having the 5 yard dump-off to Welker that turned into the 20 yard gain after the catch :uhuh:

So he was 3-5 with a back-up QB against the decent teams on the schedule.

They might make the playoffs but they are not beating the Saints!!! That was some ass whoopin' they gave us!!

The Pats have a load of work to do. They were beaten by a much better team last night, beaten and nose rubbed in it. How many times did I see our DBs with their back to their man-while he caught a pass. Too many. How many times did Brady have to abandon the pocket? That screwed up the timeing something fierce. So much work to do.

if the other teams receiver looks back so should the DB
i was yelling.:fury:

how else are you going to intercept the pass from the team with the most interceptions in the NFL. :wall: