By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
MTZehvor on 24 April 2020
Edit Thread
Shaunodon said:
MTZehvor said:

But you, Mr. Head In The Sand, just kept waffling on about how everything would just work out through the magic of Belichick & Brady.

Ah, and now we've moved onto personal insults. Again, lovely.

If you want to play the "who's more delusional about football" game, then we can, although given that you blamed the Patriots management for not spending money on Trent Brown, despite the fact that he had been offered $66 million to play for Oakland at the time and New England literally didn't even have the cap space to match, or that you stated one post ago that Pittsburgh's defense looked better than New England's on paper, I'm not sure that's a contest you want to have.

Since when is it weird to be a fan of one player?

It's very abnormal/uncanny to be a fan of a singular player versus a team. Not unheard of, obviously, but certainly not common. If you don't believe me, then take a poll from any large group of NFL fans, and see how many people are fans of a team versus fans of a player. That should tell you all you need to know.

I didn't realise getting embarrassed at home on Wild Card Weekend is considered ok in New England now, as long as you can win 12 games.

There's a difference between saying it's "ok" versus saying "the sky is falling and everything has gone to shit."

Take 2009 for instance, when the Patriots actually did get embarrassed on Wild Card weekend rather than losing by one possession. Obviously that's a result that no one wants to repeat. But that doesn't mean you immediately write the team off as hopeless. Similarly, losing at home in the wild card last year isn't ideal by any stretch of the imagination. But losing before the AFC Championship for the first time in a decade doesn't mean you just give up on the team as it stands. There's an incredibly strong defense, quality special teams, and with David Andrews returning and Isaiah Wynn healthy, a very talented offensive line.

That isn't a team composition that you immediately press reboot on without at least trying to see if you can develop something with. At least give Stidham a shot, especially given the amount of confidence New England seems to have in him. See if Sanu, Meyers, etc. can fit into the team given an offseason to heal and become more familiar with the playbook. There's a middle ground between being fine with something and also throwing all your toys out of the pram.

https://www.patspulpit.com/2019/2/16/18227266/pats-off-season-making-the-case-for-the-franchise-tagging-of-trent

https://larrybrownsports.com/football/patriots-trent-williams-trade-using-money-saved-on-brady/507655

"They chose not to use the franchise tag on Trent Brown this offseason, and he signed a massive contract with the Oakland Raiders. Brown was New England’s left tackle last season, but the Patriots did not prioritize keeping him since they will be getting 2018 first-round pick Isaiah Wynn back after he missed his rookie season with a torn Achilles. Wynn has not been able to participate in full at training camp this year, and he has never appeared in an NFL game."

Are we gonna keep playing this game? I'm already 1-for-1. I wouldn't be against you making a poll to ask people who they believe will have the better defense this season, and then seeing how the teams actually pan out. I mean you're pretty confident in your team, right? They kept '"vrtually the entire starting roster on that side of the ball", and if they're that good, there's nothing to worry about right?

...do you know how the franchise tag works? The Patriots would have been spending a guaranteed $16 million on a one year deal for an OT. That's even more per year than the 5 year, $66 million he got from Oakland. The franchise tag is an even more expensive way to keep a player on a short term contract so a team doesn't have to commit to them. The Patriots had roughly a million dollars left in the cap by the time the regular season began. They would have had to jettison so many other players to sign a contract for an aging LT that underperformed in 2019.

Alternatively the Patriots could have TT'd him but then he would still be free to leave for Oakland so that ultimately doesn't change anything.

And, for what it's worth, according to reports, the Patriots did, actually, try to make a deal for Williams (although it's still not clear how New England would have fit him under the cap/who they would have cut). But Washington wasn't interested. A multitude of teams actually contacted Washington looking for a trade, but they refused to do so even after Williams started holding out.

So, no, you're not 1 for 1. All you've done is suggest that the Patriots somehow spend even more money that they didn't have/trade for a player that the Redskins wouldn't trade.

I wouldn't be against you making a poll to ask people who they believe will have the better defense this season, and then seeing how the teams actually pan out. I mean you're pretty confident in your team, right? They kept '"vrtually the entire starting roster on that side of the ball", and if they're that good, there's nothing to worry about right?

Sure, although I should emphasize again it's not just me that thinks this way. Oddsmakers have New England as the favorite to give up the fewest points and yards allowed this season, and despite having a clearly worse offense than the Steelers and a more difficult schedule, the Patriots are favored to win the same number of games (something that would only happen with a superior defense). But no, I don't mind a poll one bit. Is the NFL subreddit an acceptable place in your mind for it to be posted?

Last edited by MTZehvor - on 24 April 2020