Pats Have Many Holes to Fill

[truth on hold]

MLB: Teddy Bruschi is all but retired and if he doesn't Bill & Kraft won't waste any time retiring him. No more "Invisble Man" impersonations from this guy;

 

RB: Dillon is about a year away from being put out to pasture too. And as I've said before Maroney has not proven he's #1 material;

 

WR: their decisions not to keep top WRs have finally come back to haunt them. Does anyone really think Branch wouldn't have been the difference maker last night after seeing Caldwell "Deer in Headlight" eyes drop pass after pass?

 

SS: Harrison is old and often injured and he was a huge key to Pats 2nd and 3rd Super Bowl wins. He's their Bob Sanders who makes the whole defense click.

 

Those are 4 high profile hard to fill positions. I don't care how much under the cap or how many 1st rounders a team has, getting the "right guy" for all those slots in the same year is extremely challenging. And that also assumes they resign super high priced Asante Samuel in the secondary ... a huge "if" for a team that doesn't like to overpay free agents. Looking like Pats take another notch down next year.

[The Big Cat]

MLB: Teddy Bruschi is all but retired and if he doesn't Bill & Kraft won't waste any time retiring him. No more "Invisble Man" impersonations from this guy;

 

RB: Dillon is about a year away from being put out to pasture too. And as I've said before Maroney has not proven he's #1 material;

 

WR: their decisions not to keep top WRs have finally come back to haunt them. Does anyone really think Branch wouldn't have been the difference maker last night after seeing Caldwell "Deer in Headlight" eyes drop pass after pass?

 

SS: Harrison is old and often injured and he was a huge key to Pats 2nd and 3rd Super Bowl wins. He's their Bob Sanders who makes the whole defense click.

 

Those are 4 high profile hard to fill positions. I don't care how much under the cap or how many 1st rounders a team has, getting the "right guy" for all those slots in the same year is extremely challenging. And that also assumes they resign super high priced Asante Samuel in the secondary ... a huge "if" for a team that doesn't like to overpay free agents. Looking like Pats take another notch down next year.

 

Nothing like a hot cup of wishful thinking on Monday morning! I'm not discrediting your post- you make good points, but they'll still be at the top of our division next year. And by top I mean second to Buffalo.

[inkman]

MLB: Teddy Bruschi is all but retired and if he doesn't Bill & Kraft won't waste any time retiring him. No more "Invisble Man" impersonations from this guy;

The Pats find linebackers like Willis finds baby mamas. They'll pick up Takeo or someone in a similar type situation to fill their needs.

 

RB: Dillon is about a year away from being put out to pasture too. And as I've said before Maroney has not proven he's #1 material;

 

Marony looks just fine to me and with another year under his belt he'll be that much better.

 

WR: their decisions not to keep top WRs have finally come back to haunt them. Does anyone really think Branch wouldn't have been the difference maker last night after seeing Caldwell "Deer in Headlight" eyes drop pass after pass?

They really need to address this, perhaps a FA but a quick fix is not apparent.

SS: Harrison is old and often injured and he was a huge key to Pats 2nd and 3rd Super Bowl wins. He's their Bob Sanders who makes the whole defense click.

 

See linebackers.

 

Those are 4 high profile hard to fill positions. I don't care how much under the cap or how many 1st rounders a team has, getting the "right guy" for all those slots in the same year is extremely challenging. And that also assumes they resign super high priced Asante Samuel in the secondary ... a huge "if" for a team that doesn't like to overpay free agents. Looking like Pats take another notch down next year.

 

If only to make my life miserable, the Pats will be good as long as Brady and Belichek roam the NE sidelines.

[truth on hold]

The Pats find linebackers like Willis finds baby mamas. They'll pick up Takeo or someone in a similar type situation to fill their needs.

Marony looks just fine to me and with another year under his belt he'll be that much better.

 

They really need to address this, perhaps a FA but a quick fix is not apparent.

See linebackers.

If only to make my life miserable, the Pats will be good as long as Brady and Belichek roam the NE sidelines.

i think you're over valuing the pats "mystique" thing. that mystique took a huge hit last night when they lost the title game to a team they used to own in the playoffs.

[truth on hold]

Nothing like a hot cup of wishful thinking on Monday morning! I'm not discrediting your post- you make good points, but they'll still be at the top of our division next year. And by top I mean second to Buffalo.

i have a sneaky suspicion that pats losing conference finals to a team they used to own in the playoffs will be the official end of their championship winning / contending run. bellicheck is no better than chuck noll, tom landry and don shula and all of them went out on the bottom too.

[MikeSpeed]

If the Patsies have too many holes to fill, then we have the grand canyon.

 

Can anyone else picture Fletcher in a NE uni?

[keepthefaith]

If the Patsies have too many holes to fill, then we have the grand canyon.

 

Can anyone else picture Fletcher in a NE uni?

 

Exactly and they have done a better job of filling holes in their roster over the past 10 years than anyone in the league IMO. No reason to think they can't replace a few more old parts. They have a successful formula like it or not.

[MarkyMannn]

If the Patsies have too many holes to fill, then we have the grand canyon.

 

[ganesh]

If the Patsies have too many holes to fill, then we have the grand canyon.

 

Can anyone else picture Fletcher in a NE uni?

 

Fletcher said this will be his last big contract and he wanted people to show him the money...I doubt he gets big bucks from Bellichek....

[MDH]

i think you're over valuing the pats "mystique" thing. that mystique took a huge hit last night when they lost the title game to a team they used to own in the playoffs.

 

I'm guessing you're one of those people who thought that the Pats weren't going to be that good before this year started. You know, all those guys who were yelling that they were vulnerable this year? Yet, there they were playing in the AFC title game last night.

 

The D is good, they hvae one of the best QBs in the league and their OL is very solid. Sure they're not perfect top to bottom but if you have those three things you'll be one of the better teams in the league year in and year out.

[ganesh]

I'm guessing you're one of those people who thought that the Pats weren't going to be that good before this year started. You know, all those guys who were yelling that they were vulnerable this year? Yet, there they were playing in the AFC title game last night.

 

The D is good, they hvae one of the best QBs in the league and their OL is very solid. Sure they're not perfect top to bottom but if you have those three things you'll be one of the better teams in the league year in and year out.

 

 

I think the Pats front 3 is one of the best...Two of their LBs are good, two are aging and on their way out....Their cornerbacks have played some of the best football, but weakness in the safety position especially with Harrison missing the playoffs was a big blow....

 

On offense they have a good running game, which they never used.....have a pretty good OL that gave Tom Brady 7 seconds to throw that TD pass to Gaffney in the back of the endzone.

However, they need better WRs...Chad Jackson might be featured more as a big WR threat next season....

 

I am sure they will grab the scrubs of other teams this season and make them into very good role players within their system next season..

[RayFinkle]

Until Brady retires, the Pats will always be in the hunt.

[The Big Cat]

Until Brady retires, the Pats will always be in the hunt.

 

I have to fervently disagree here. I am not sold on Tom Brady as a quarterback. I am sold on the New England system. Bellechick seeks players he can plug in to his gameplan to perform one task well and he/they/everyone succeeds. It's so complicated it's simple. Christ, even Bledsoe found success in New England and he's a disastard.

[Helmet_hair]

What I want to know is what is the Free agent status is of that Fantastic Offensive line the pats have! The OL is the heart of that team. Brady has all day to throw the ball even with an all out blitz.

[Prognastic]

I have to fervently disagree here. I am not sold on Tom Brady as a quarterback. I am sold on the New England system. Bellechick seeks players he can plug in to his gameplan to perform one task well and he/they/everyone succeeds. It's so complicated it's simple. Christ, even Bledsoe found success in New England and he's a disastard.

 

If thats the case then why were the Pats 5-11 in 2000 under Bledsoe & Belichick?

 

Check the Pats record pre & post Brady. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer who upon entering Canton will drop trou and proceed to take a crap on Jim Kelly's bust.

[MDH]

I have to fervently disagree here. I am not sold on Tom Brady as a quarterback. I am sold on the New England system. Bellechick seeks players he can plug in to his gameplan to perform one task well and he/they/everyone succeeds. It's so complicated it's simple. Christ, even Bledsoe found success in New England and he's a disastard.

 

Bledsoe struggled mightily (and so did the Pats) before he got injured and Brady stepped in. You can go on "not being sold" on Brady and he'll go on being successful every single year no matter who the surrounding players on offense are.

 

It annoys me to no end that Brady is as good as he is (since he's in the Bills division) but I'm not going to put the blinders on like many Bills fans.

[ganesh]

I have to fervently disagree here. I am not sold on Tom Brady as a quarterback. I am sold on the New England system. Bellechick seeks players he can plug in to his gameplan to perform one task well and he/they/everyone succeeds. It's so complicated it's simple. Christ, even Bledsoe found success in New England and he's a disastard.

 

Sorry have to disagree....New England with Bledsoe even with Belichek as the HC was a disaster...In fact that super bowl season they started something like 1-3 or 1-4 with Bledsoe as the starter before the injury.....

 

Belichek (or rather Weis) system depended on having a very accurate QB who is not flustered...Bledsoe was neither of that and Brady was everything that was needed for that system. A very good defense and an excellent special teams + good QB play has kept them in the SB hunt year-in year-out and will continue to do that until there is talent erosion on their defense and STs.

[The Big Cat]

If thats the case then why were the Pats 5-11 in 2000 under Bledsoe & Belichick?

 

Check the Pats record pre & post Brady. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer who upon entering Canton will drop trou and proceed to take a crap on Jim Kelly's bust.

 

Tom Brady is definitely a hall of famer, he's accomplished too much, but I think any 'professional' quarterback (e.g. someone who has the skills to earn money for throwing a football) would have great success in this current NE system. The OL is unbelievable! And when it breaks down, Brady sucks. Sadly, this is a rare occurence. In addition to the OL (which is the anchor to any successful team), the have servicable receivers and backs. Had Crack-Eyes not had those drops lastnight, the Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl. They have a great receiving tight end (lots of folks would love to see him in Orchard Park) and the result of all of these consistently sufficient parts is perpetual execution which leads to wins.

[RayFinkle]

I am not sold on Tom Brady as a quarterback.

I am not sold on Tom Brady as a quarterback.

I am not sold on Tom Brady as a quarterback.

[millstone twnsp nj bills fan]

I think the Pats front 3 is one of the best...Two of their LBs are good, two are aging and on their way out....Their cornerbacks have played some of the best football, but weakness in the safety position especially with Harrison missing the playoffs was a big blow....

 

On offense they have a good running game, which they never used.....have a pretty good OL that gave Tom Brady 7 seconds to throw that TD pass to Gaffney in the back of the endzone.

However, they need better WRs...Chad Jackson might be featured more as a big WR threat next season....

 

I am sure they will grab the scrubs of other teams this season and make them into very good role players within their system next season..

 

They also have two first round draft picks and a possible third if they tag & trade Samuel. I hate them too but the cupboard isn't going to be empty any time soon.

[The Big Cat]

 

 

 

That's right, you quoted me three times, and I'm glad that each time you found my opinion more and more entertaining. I don't think he's a Peyton Manning, or a Joe Montanna, or Dan Marino, or any other "great Quarterback."

 

I think he's an accurate passer (something EVERY starting NFL QB should be) who plays behind an impenetrable offense line. He has good receivers coming out of the backfield, a very good receiving option in his tight end, and serviceable wide receivers- funny how a monster offensive line can make receivers look great.

 

Tom Brady is just a decent NFL quarterback with GREAT coaching and a very EFFECTIVE supporting cast.

[Captain Hindsight]

i have a sneaky suspicion that pats losing conference finals to a team they used to own in the playoffs will be the official end of their championship winning / contending run. bellicheck is no better than chuck noll, tom landry and don shula and all of them went out on the bottom too.

i sure hope your right, heres to the beginningof the end

[MRW]

If thats the case then why were the Pats 5-11 in 2000 under Bledsoe & Belichick?

 

Check the Pats record pre & post Brady. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer who upon entering Canton will drop trou and proceed to take a crap on Jim Kelly's bust.

Amazing how one post moves you from "other team's fan" to "obnoxious troll". I'm sorry if somebody insulted your pet QB but remember you're on a Bills board here and show a little respect.

[Golden Wheels]

Something tells me Bob Kraft won't waste any picks this year......just a hunch.

[BuffaloBilliever]

I truly, truly believe that the Bills win the division next year. They seem complete, they seem well grounded, and have the foundation.

 

But... the LB corp is in general depleting. Seau, Vrabel, and Bruschi are done next year.

 

CB Samuel and Gay are gone next year, and Rashad Baker (pffffft) won't make much of depth for them at safety.

 

O-Line they'll pull someone out of their ass, Brady is due for a slump year, Maroney IS a feature back, Patrick Pass is on his way out, and WR's are nada.

 

case in point, they're set on the lines and at QB/HB.

 

They'll need a TON of help in the offseason to keep this team above the Bills/Jets/Dolphins.

[Prognastic]

I truly, truly believe that the Bills win the division next year. They seem complete, they seem well grounded, and have the foundation.

 

But... the LB corp is in general depleting. Seau, Vrabel, and Bruschi are done next year.

 

CB Samuel and Gay are gone next year, and Rashad Baker (pffffft) won't make much of depth for them at safety.

 

O-Line they'll pull someone out of their ass, Brady is due for a slump year, Maroney IS a feature back, Patrick Pass is on his way out, and WR's are nada.

 

case in point, they're set on the lines and at QB/HB.

 

They'll need a TON of help in the offseason to keep this team above the Bills/Jets/Dolphins.

 

 

Just like the Dolphins were supposed to take the mantle THIS year? Keep predicting it though, one of these years it has to come true I guess.

[SACTOBILLSFAN]

I have to fervently disagree here. I am not sold on Tom Brady as a quarterback.

 

Wow. Speaking of disastard...

[BuffaloBilliever]

He's too good... and the Fins were NOT ready to take the division.

 

One quarterback added to the roster doesn't change a damn thing, and that's what the media thought the only thing they needed was.

 

They forgot an Offensive Line, Safeties, and a coaching staff.

[The Big Cat]

Wow. Speaking of disastard...

 

If only there was a smiley for sarcastic chortling.

[In space no one can hear]

I have to fervently disagree here. I am not sold on Tom Brady as a quarterback. I am sold on the New England system. Bellechick seeks players he can plug in to his gameplan to perform one task well and he/they/everyone succeeds. It's so complicated it's simple. Christ, even Bledsoe found success in New England and he's a disastard.

 

 

Did he actually state that he is not sold on Tom Brady as a Qb?

 

Maybe "VikingGumBoot" is another term for "He knows not what he says"

 

Sorry 'GumBoot but you just earned yourself a spot in my signature next to Ko Simpson.

 

P.S. What was your Wonderlic score?

[ganesh]

Tom Brady is just a decent NFL quarterback with GREAT coaching and a very EFFECTIVE supporting cast.

I would love to see JP be that "decent' quarterback....

 

BTW, I could say the same thing with Belichek....

 

Belichek is just a decent NFL Head coach with GREAT players in a very EFFECTIVE system...considering how average he was in Cleveland....

[The Big Cat]

Did he actually state that he is not sold on Tom Brady as a Qb?

 

Maybe "VikingGumBoot" is another term for "He knows not what he says"

 

Sorry 'GumBoot but you just earned yourself a spot in my signature next to Ko Simpson.

 

P.S. What was your Wonderlic score?

 

Oh for crying out loud- here I thought we were Buffalo Bills fans born into this world with an irrational hatred and skeptisism towards every other AFC East quarterback!

 

I know what I said- I hate Tom Brady: I think he's spoiled: spoiled by his coach, his OL, and (up until this year) his kicker; and combined with his dimples and lantern jaw (which may or may not have resulted from steroid use) his success has resulted in an ongoing slobbery fellatio from the national media- which I find intolerable. I thought his performance as host of SNL was an insult to sketch comedy, he acts like a petulant kid on the sideline when things don't go his way, and what do you know? When he has to get closer than 30 yards from the endzone HE DOESN'T win the playoff game! Instead, he throws an interception. Superman indeed.

 

As for my Wonderlic score? Did great on the verbal, but failed miserably at the peer-reviewed esoteric QB evaluations-which, I'm told, don't count for sh--.

[truth on hold]

Oh for crying out loud- here I thought we were Buffalo Bills fans born into this world with an irrational hatred and skeptisism towards every other AFC East quarterback!

 

I know what I said- I hate Tom Brady: I think he's spoiled: spoiled by his coach, his OL, and (up until this year) his kicker; and combined with his dimples and lantern jaw (which may or may not have resulted from steroid use) his success has resulted in an ongoing slobbery fellatio from the national media- which I find intolerable. I thought his performance as host of SNL was an insult to sketch comedy, he acts like a petulant kid on the sideline when things don't go his way, and what do you know? When he has to get closer than 30 yards from the endzone HE DOESN'T win the playoff game! Instead, he throws an interception. Superman indeed.

 

As for my Wonderlic score? Did great on the verbal, but failed miserably at the peer-reviewed esoteric QB evaluations-which, I'm told, don't count for sh--.

 

i started this thread and im sorry to see it degenerate into a pissing contest. but when u break it down it all comes down to one thing: either you believe pats can do no wrong (i.e. you've totally bought into "mystique") or if you believe as i do that they have their fair share of flaws and stumbles and like anyone facing a very difficult need to fill several high profile positions they will stumble some.

 

to all the mystique lovers i'd put forth the following:

 

- if pats are so perfect they don't lose branch and are probably playing in miami in 2 weeks. i consider that a huge blunder;

 

- they made a good move getting seau to press the now useless bruschi (not their fault seau got hurt) but they did nothing to address the high likelihood harrison wouldn't be the same player after total knee reconstruction at 33. another blunder that could have cost them a trip to south florida;

 

- this is the 2nd year in a row theyve failed to make the super bowl. last year they didnt even advance past the wild card round. their only win came against san diego who i think were ripe for the taking by anyone in post season due to their immaturity and loser of a post-season coach marty. they were in the playoffs mostly due to playing in a division with 3 other teams mired in rebuilding. all of this tells me theyre a "dynasty" clearly in decline. symbolically, losing the conference final to a team they "owned" like the colts is a very powerful confirmation of this. bills and jets promise to be better next season so pats wont have a cakewalk to the division title again.

 

conclusion: pats will have a tough job filling all their needs and won't be as good next season, continuing their "wrong side" of dynasty trend. again think noll, landry, shula, how invicible they looked at the top and how they went out.

[The Big Cat]

i started this thread and im sorry to see it degenerate into a pissing contest. but when u break it down it all comes down to one thing: either you believe pats can do no wrong (i.e. you've totally bought into "mystique") or if you believe as i do that they have their fair share of flaws and stumbles and like anyone facing a very difficult need to fill several high profile positions they will stumble some.

 

to all the mystique lovers i'd put forth the following:

 

- if pats are so perfect they don't lose branch and are probably playing in miami in 2 weeks. i consider that a huge blunder;

 

- they made a good move getting seau to press the now useless bruschi (not their fault seau got hurt) but they did nothing to address the high likelihood harrison wouldn't be the same player after total knee reconstruction at 33. another blunder that could have cost them a trip to south florida;

 

- this is the 2nd year in a row theyve failed to make the super bowl. last year they didnt even advance past the wild card round. their only win came against san diego who i think were ripe for the taking by anyone in post season due to their immaturity and loser of a post-season coach marty. they were in the playoffs mostly due to playing in a division with 3 other teams mired in rebuilding. all of this tells me theyre a "dynasty" clearly in decline. symbolically, losing the conference final to a team they "owned" like the colts is a very powerful confirmation of this. bills and jets promise to be better next season so pats wont have a cakewalk to the division title again.

 

conclusion: pats will have a tough job filling all their needs and won't be as good next season, continuing their "wrong side" of dynasty trend. again think noll, landry, shula, how invicible they looked at the top and how they went out.

 

But I still think Tom Brady's a pillow biter.

[Stenbar]

That's right, you quoted me three times, and I'm glad that each time you found my opinion more and more entertaining. I don't think he's a Peyton Manning, or a Joe Montanna, or Dan Marino, or any other "great Quarterback."

 

I think he's an accurate passer (something EVERY starting NFL QB should be) who plays behind an impenetrable offense line. He has good receivers coming out of the backfield, a very good receiving option in his tight end, and serviceable wide receivers- funny how a monster offensive line can make receivers look great.

 

Tom Brady is just a decent NFL quarterback with GREAT coaching and a very EFFECTIVE supporting cast.

This is no personal shot at you just your opinion...The guy has won 2 Super Bowl MVPS ...3 Championships and I think he is just 31...Jim Kelly had an impenetrable offensive line, 2 great wr's a great rb and pretty decent defense yet no superbowls..This guy as much as I hate him is A GREAT NFL QB...End of discussion.,....I will be glad when he goes and retires...Quit downgrading him and just accept him for what he is..Better than most we have seen

[Prognastic]

i started this thread and im sorry to see it degenerate into a pissing contest. but when u break it down it all comes down to one thing: either you believe pats can do no wrong (i.e. you've totally bought into "mystique") or if you believe as i do that they have their fair share of flaws and stumbles and like anyone facing a very difficult need to fill several high profile positions they will stumble some.

 

to all the mystique lovers i'd put forth the following:

 

- if pats are so perfect they don't lose branch and are probably playing in miami in 2 weeks. i consider that a huge blunder;

 

- they made a good move getting seau to press the now useless bruschi (not their fault seau got hurt) but they did nothing to address the high likelihood harrison wouldn't be the same player after total knee reconstruction at 33. another blunder that could have cost them a trip to south florida;

 

- this is the 2nd year in a row theyve failed to make the super bowl. last year they didnt even advance past the wild card round. their only win came against san diego who i think were ripe for the taking by anyone in post season due to their immaturity and loser of a post-season coach marty. they were in the playoffs mostly due to playing in a division with 3 other teams mired in rebuilding. all of this tells me theyre a "dynasty" clearly in decline. symbolically, losing the conference final to a team they "owned" like the colts is a very powerful confirmation of this. bills and jets promise to be better next season so pats wont have a cakewalk to the division title again.

 

conclusion: pats will have a tough job filling all their needs and won't be as good next season, continuing their "wrong side" of dynasty trend. again think noll, landry, shula, how invicible they looked at the top and how they went out.

 

While Deion Branch was a very good WR for the Pats, how'd he help Seattle get back to the Super Bowl this year? Oh wait....

 

They do need to address LB and safety in the off-season

 

2nd year in a row they didnt make the Super Bowl? You say that like its easy to do or something.

 

San Diego was NOT ripe for the taking, they just were ripe on that particular day. Much like the 01 Rams. Keep HOPING that the Pats are in decline however because you have to hang your hat on something to make yourself believe that come August and September that your team has a shot at the playoffs.

 

conclusion; pats will have a tough time filling their needs (as will 31 other teams) and may or may not be as good next season. They are however for the most part getting younger in most areas of the team with the exception of the two listed above and they are pretty much a lock to win between 10-13 games per year during this "Brady-Belichick" run.

[JAMIEBUF12]

wow! i hate the patsies as much as anyone,but next season they will still be the afc east champs.....and people seem to forget that they have a ton of money to spend and 2#1 picks in the up coming draft.they still have a pretty good solid core to build off of.i think next season they are a 10-6 team ,maybe not the greatest pats team but they will still be solid.i see the bills and jets in a dog fight for the 2nd top spot.the bills will be improved next year you can take that to the bank.go bills in"07

[Prognastic]

Want to look at the Pats? Lets look at the Pats and how they're "getting older" shall we?

 

 

Offensive line;

 

Matt Light

Logan Mankins

Dan Koppen

Stephen Neal

Nick Kazcur

Ryan O'Callaghan

 

ALL these guys are locked up and have no more than 6 years NFL experience i.e YOUNG

 

Defensive Line

 

Richard Seymour

Ty Warren

Vince Wilfork

Jarvis Green

Mike Wright

 

Again, all but Warren locked up long term and again, none over 30.

 

Quarterback; Need I even? Brady will be 30 in August

 

Running backs

 

Laurence Maroney

Corey Dillon (if he comes back)

Kevin Faulk

Patrick Pass

Heath Evans.

 

Maroney will be a 2nd year player (and starter) next season. Faulk is entering his 6th or 7th year. Dillon most likely will retire or come back in a Jerome Bettis type 3rd down and short role.

 

Wide Receivers;

 

Chad Jackson

Troy Brown

Jabar Gaffney

Reche Caldwell

 

This area needs addressing despite Caldwell's and Gaffney's solid play this post season. Troy Brown may hang them up as well.

 

Tight Ends

 

Benjamin Watson

Daniel Graham

David Thomas

 

Graham is a FA but my feeling is that he comes back. All are sub-30

 

 

Linebackers;

Tedy Bruschi - 10 year vet 34 yrs old

Rosevelt Colvin - 30 years old

Mike Vrabel - 32 years old

Tully Banta-Cain - 27

Junior Seau? - 3 years older than dirt

 

Secondary (assuming Samuel comes back)

 

Ellis Hobbs

Asante Samuel

Randall Gay

Eugene Wilson

Rodney Harrison

Artrelle Hawkins

James Sanders

 

 

Harrison is 35 and now injury prone. Wilson has had a rash of injuries as well but is only 27. Sanders and Hawkins got some very valuable starting experience this year at Safety.

 

 

Throw in the rookie kicker and there are only about 3 areas that need some sort of upgrades with Linebacker being the most important. They'll be dominant in the AFC East at the very least while Belichick and Brady are on the team and maybe longer provided they continue to embrace their current philosophy.

 

I can see them franchising Asante Samuel if a deal cannot be reached;

 

I can see them using a lot of their cap room to go after a Lance Briggs

 

I can also see them addressing LB/Safety and even WR in the draft. They have 2 #1's and rarely miss on first rounders; (Seymour, Wilfork, Warren, Watson, Graham, Maroney, Mankins)

 

 

 

Sorry folks but the forecast in Buffalo calls for gloom and doom for the forseeable future.

 

 

 

 

 

Looks to me like the Pats are getting younger

[truth on hold]

Want to look at the Pats? Lets look at the Pats and how they're "getting older" shall we?

Offensive line;

 

Matt Light

Logan Mankins

Dan Koppen

Stephen Neal

Nick Kazcur

Ryan O'Callaghan

 

ALL these guys are locked up and have no more than 6 years NFL experience i.e YOUNG

 

Defensive Line

 

Richard Seymour

Ty Warren

Vince Wilfork

Jarvis Green

Mike Wright

 

Again, all but Warren locked up long term and again, none over 30.

 

Quarterback; Need I even? Brady will be 30 in August

 

Running backs

 

Laurence Maroney

Corey Dillon (if he comes back)

Kevin Faulk

Patrick Pass

Heath Evans.

 

Maroney will be a 2nd year player (and starter) next season. Faulk is entering his 6th or 7th year. Dillon most likely will retire or come back in a Jerome Bettis type 3rd down and short role.

 

Wide Receivers;

 

Chad Jackson

Troy Brown

Jabar Gaffney

Reche Caldwell

 

This area needs addressing despite Caldwell's and Gaffney's solid play this post season. Troy Brown may hang them up as well.

 

Tight Ends

 

Benjamin Watson

Daniel Graham

David Thomas

 

Graham is a FA but my feeling is that he comes back. All are sub-30

Linebackers;

Tedy Bruschi - 10 year vet 34 yrs old

Rosevelt Colvin - 30 years old

Mike Vrabel - 32 years old

Tully Banta-Cain - 27

Junior Seau? - 3 years older than dirt

 

Secondary (assuming Samuel comes back)

 

Ellis Hobbs

Asante Samuel

Randall Gay

Eugene Wilson

Rodney Harrison

Artrelle Hawkins

James Sanders

Harrison is 35 and now injury prone. Wilson has had a rash of injuries as well but is only 27. Sanders and Hawkins got some very valuable starting experience this year at Safety.

Throw in the rookie kicker and there are only about 3 areas that need some sort of upgrades with Linebacker being the most important. They'll be dominant in the AFC East at the very least while Belichick and Brady are on the team and maybe longer provided they continue to embrace their current philosophy.

 

I can see them franchising Asante Samuel if a deal cannot be reached;

 

I can see them using a lot of their cap room to go after a Lance Briggs

 

I can also see them addressing LB/Safety and even WR in the draft. They have 2 #1's and rarely miss on first rounders; (Seymour, Wilfork, Warren, Watson, Graham, Maroney, Mankins)

Sorry folks but the forecast in Buffalo calls for gloom and doom for the forseeable future.

 

Looks to me like the Pats are getting younger

older? who said anything about pats as a team getting older? pats have some youth but then again some of the youngest teams in the league are raiders, lions and cardinals.

 

i said they have needs to fill at a healthy 4 if not 5 key positions as follows:

 

MLB: bruschi, please do us all a huge favor bill & bob and keep this guy

 

RB: maroney doesnt look like #1 RB material to me. you know in their 1st year if they are or not. the guy had 13 yards on 8 carries against colts, 5 yards on 5 carries against chargers when he's needed most. give me a break about him being the future

 

WR: brady cried like tony romo when branch left. are you telling me you know his importance (lack there of) better than your mr. everything brady?

 

SS: harrison was the best player at his position in the league and a huge part of the pats success in SBs 2 & 3. bill knew this when he risked alienating team by favoring harrison over milloy. i think you are extraordinarily optimistic if you think replacing with him with same caliber will be easy, and i'd love to know who you are thinking of so i can pass this info onto the bills. even though they have whitner id take the 2nd coming of harrison

 

DB: asante samuel said the pats contract offer was an insult. he said hes looking forward to free agency so he can get the most money. franchise him and theres a decent chance he sits out. odds pats keep him 50/50 at best.

 

if pats fill all those needs next season then i will gladly eat my words about doubting them. but something tells me - history that is - that my plate won't have any words on it next year at this time.

[Mikie2times]

i started this thread and im sorry to see it degenerate into a pissing contest. but when u break it down it all comes down to one thing: either you believe pats can do no wrong (i.e. you've totally bought into "mystique") or if you believe as i do that they have their fair share of flaws and stumbles and like anyone facing a very difficult need to fill several high profile positions they will stumble some.

 

to all the mystique lovers i'd put forth the following:

 

- if pats are so perfect they don't lose branch and are probably playing in miami in 2 weeks. i consider that a huge blunder;

 

- they made a good move getting seau to press the now useless bruschi (not their fault seau got hurt) but they did nothing to address the high likelihood harrison wouldn't be the same player after total knee reconstruction at 33. another blunder that could have cost them a trip to south florida;

 

- this is the 2nd year in a row theyve failed to make the super bowl. last year they didnt even advance past the wild card round. their only win came against san diego who i think were ripe for the taking by anyone in post season due to their immaturity and loser of a post-season coach marty. they were in the playoffs mostly due to playing in a division with 3 other teams mired in rebuilding. all of this tells me theyre a "dynasty" clearly in decline. symbolically, losing the conference final to a team they "owned" like the colts is a very powerful confirmation of this. bills and jets promise to be better next season so pats wont have a cakewalk to the division title again.

 

conclusion: pats will have a tough job filling all their needs and won't be as good next season, continuing their "wrong side" of dynasty trend. again think noll, landry, shula, how invicible they looked at the top and how they went out.

Even with the losses the Patriots look like the Hoover dam compared to the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins. Tom Brady has proven year in and year out that he's a top 3 QB. BB has shown year in and year out he's going to field competitive defenses. The things your saying could have been said after every year the Patriots won the Super Bowl or went to the playoffs. Each year they've lost dozens of players and coaches, and during almost all of they're runs they've done it while being completely decimated at OL or DB or RB or WR. The lesson shouldn't be that some mystique is magically allowing them to do these things. It's that having a top 3 QB and a decent defense will give you 10 wins in a league of parity.