Rochesterfan

100% agree - I actually think if they would just embrace his strengths even more - they could be a better team. I thought Harbaugh was going to do that, but they have strayed more and more trying to get better WRs on the outside. Their strength is running and TE play - embrace that and supplement with big bodied WRs that can catch routes toward the middle.

I totally hear what you are saying, but I think you are looking at things backwards. How did Brady do without those Allstars - well in NE in 2019 he threw for: 3961 yards on 378 completions 25 TDs and 9 Ints His receivers were Edelman, White with support from Dorsett, Burkhead, and Sanu. In 2020 - with similar WRs (Meyers, White, Byrd, Harry, Burkhead, and Edelman for part of the year) - the Pats QBs threw for: 2890 yards on 283 completions 12 TDs and 14 Ints So back to the original question - no Brady could not be Elite - Super Bowl level with those WRs, but he did significantly more with a really bad WR group than Cam did the next year with slightly more talent. I think NE is another example of how important QB play is. Without Brady the NE passing attack with subpar WRs was not good at all and with Brady and subpar WRs - the passing attack was pretty good. The biggest difference in NE from 2019 to 2020 was at QB and it cost NE games during the season and overall gameplay.

Yes - the Texans will get relief, but they have to “save the space” in case and when he is removed from the list. They may at any point suddenly find that they need 35 million in space or risk losing Watson for nothing. GB has the same issue - if Rodgers “retires” it opens up space, but they need to ensure they have enough at all times or he could “surprise” un-retire and force you to clear cap space immediately or cut him and that is something they can’t do.

Take it 1 step further - go back to 2019 - both Cole and John Brown as the new #1 and #2 had their best years in the NFL with Allen throwing them the ball. So if you combine 2019 and 2020 - 3 different WRs have career years with Allen and 1 WR had a career year in 2019 and improved it in 2020. When over the course of multiple years - different WRs seem to “break out” and have the best years of their careers - it is the QB and OC making them better - not the other way around. Diggs was a significantly better target for Josh than anything he had in the past, but Diggs did not make Josh - Josh has made the WRs look better each year and his talent afforded Diggs the opportunity to have the best year of his career. Now this year should be interesting because you have 3 WRs to feed and all 3 can get open and I don’t think all 3 can put up career years, but my guess is they will all put up big receiving numbers.

Yep - and I will say again - this is what the NFLPA agreed to. They wanted as much freedom as possible and to get there they left the protocols in place for unvaccinated players.

They can be with their team if they are healthy and happy - they just need to follow protocols. If they can’t follow protocols- then they get in trouble.

Players are not suspended for skipping mandatory minicamp. Players also had most fines rescinded for mandatory minicamps in the past - so not a good equivalent. But if that works for you - fine - is it insane that the NFL fines players for missing mandatory minicamps? My goodness. This statement is just idiotic. You stated the fines and suspensions were insane and I gave you an example of another situation where some players disagree with the agreement and the NFL has fines and suspensions in place.

We suspend and fire employees for not wearing masks if not vaccinated. Never was comparing vaccines and drug use - just the use of fines and suspensions for different things that NFLPA agreed to and various players disagree with.

Not the point at all. The point is the players have rules to follow and fines and suspensions have been used for other issues and therefore the fines and suspensions for this are not as you said “insane”, but an already utilized function.

So think of it another way. Whatever you need to understand. There are bargained rules to follow and those rules are different depending on vaccination status or drug status. It doesn’t have to be pot - it could be PEDs or a drunk driving indictment, but any kind of entrance into the drug program creates 2 different classes of athletes.

Its Baseball - you already have dumb names like Red Sox and White Sox - Cleveland Baseball - should have capitalized on the football popularity and gone with: Cleveland Brown Sox - perfectly fitting for them.

They have been employed by this “quasi-monopoly” for years. The NFL existed before the pandemic and will exist after the pandemic and the players have always had to play by the rules bargained for. The “quasi-monopoly” is the reason they get paid huge money to play a game because if you take away the exclusive TV rights - the NFL becomes the CFL and that hurts the players way more than the millionaire owners. At least they have a Union and can bargain - the players just do a terrible job of representing themselves because just like politics most players are uninformed and don’t care about the issues just as long as it is not them that has to go to meetings. This is no different than the drug testing done in the past - some players liked to smoke pot - other didn’t - but the rules for testing were in place and established and the players had to abide and those that couldn’t were issued fines and suspensions - along with more drug testing and rehab plans - even if the player didn’t want it. Players that tested positive for drugs were treated different from players that had not tested positive (even if said player was a known pot head or worse) by having a whole litany of additional testing and other “commitments” to fulfill that were not required of their teammates. Those players had the exact same options the unvaccinated players have - follow the rules or face the consequences and if you really hate the rules - pull a Ricky Williams and retire - go do something else - there are 10 more guys willing and able to fill in. Most companies and businesses are having to make the exact same choice the NFL is making - some have union representation and many don’t, but they are having to navigate unvaccinated versus vaccinated and rules. We have had to establish that unvaccinated employees are masked at all times and in break rooms or meetings must maintain a 5 foot social distance, but unvaccinated employees can return to normal - no mask required (still recommended) and less social distancing. As a leader - I have to know the vaccination status of all of my employees and have to enforce the rules and just like the NFL - there are consequences to their actions. Our employer has decided that unvaccinated employees get 1 “verbal reminder” then 1 “verbal warning” before written disciplinary action begins that includes suspensions and firings.

Why - they got agreement with the NFLPA on the protocols and now the league has several players upset and openly talking about ignoring said agreed to protocols. How do you fix that - you start taking away the only leverage you have - Money and Games. Fines and suspensions are teams only options and the NFL has given them the guidance and ability to use those. They didn’t have a ton of options last year as teams broke out - now they are putting info out there ahead of time based upon what they saw. They will make minor adjustments, but now some of last years misadventures will have repercussions.

Yes and Brady took the sad NE Patriots offense into the playoffs 2 years ago and only lost to the eventual champions, but suddenly after Brady leaves - NE is “rebuilding” and that was why the HC everyone praised suddenly couldn’t win close games last year - it wasn’t the fact that Brady was their everything for 15+ years. If you can’t see it - just enjoy the continual downfall. You have nothing to prove that Belicheck can be an exceptional HC without Brady (cause it has never happened) - yet we have multiple seasons of data both before and during Brady’s career that clearly shows without Brady - Belichick is average. Now we have the 2nd data point - Brady leaves Belichick and goes onto another team that was mediocre and propels them to a Super Bowl. Checkmate - seems pretty obvious who needed who. Seriously enjoy the “rebuild” I hope it last 20+ years. 😂

This is awesome - I was worried it was going to revert to the old rules. I wonder if this means a few Vet Dlinemen get cut and signed to the PS helping to protect a younger player - allowing them to get paid and get called up, but give some guys like Bam Johnson a spot to remain due to special teams. I can see this really helping with the roster bubble.

Yep - coaches do coach and Belichick without Brady has coached the Pats to mediocre levels each time. He is a 0.500 level coach without Brady and I don’t expect that to change this year. He will be around the break point and probably below 0.500 by a game or 2. Players do play and Brady left Belichek and went to an average team - got several guys to agree to smaller deals to rejoin him with another average/good coach and won another Super Bowl. Right now it seems pretty clear that the dynasty was pretty much all about Brady - the guys leave and Belichick misses the playoffs and Brady goes elsewhere and brings a championship. Early on they needed each other, but the last 10 years Brady is the sole reason they won.

You might be right - I just do not see Knox, Hollister, or even Ertz for that matter as “just as dangerous”. I see them as JAGs - and neither Knox nor Hollister are especially strong in the run blocking game - meaning teams go base defense/nickle and I think are actually better able to stop the run because the guys they are bringing in are better than the guys we are bringing in. I get wanting to be more diverse - I think the Bills should run better from a 4WR set opening teams up with draws and screens. We saw Knox struggle to block in the H-Back role a ton last year and although I think Hollister is slightly better in that role - I don’t think either are much above average as blockers. You do have 2 WRs, but now they are being covered by the #1 and #2 DBs and you are leaving 2 safeties to allow high/low or inside/out coverage - basically taking them out of the offense - unless either Knox/Hollister hurts them repeatedly or we actually get much more effective running the ball. And unless running becomes a major focus - I think the running game is in for just a slight change. I honestly don’t care about how they go about the offense - just keep improving. I just prefer to see them put as much talent on the field as possible to exploit mis-matches and the biggest mis-matches to me are our #3 and #4 and/or #5 WRs versus any teams 3, 4, and 5 DBs. Knox has the potential to be a huge mis-match, but right now he and all of the TEs are 20-40 catch guys and 4-5 TDs from around the goal line - they are not weapons.

I hear what you are saying and if I am an opposing DC - I would be so excited to see both more runs and 21 personnel because basically you have the Bills taking plays away from their best players. On offense - who are the top skill players? Allen Diggs Sanders Beasley Davis/McKenzie then you get to: Knox Singletary Moss Hollister I want as much of my top athletes and play makers on the field as much as possible and if I am a DC - that scares me. If you take Sanders or Beasley off to have Knox and Hollister does that create more match up issues than having 4 WRs that can all get open? I can cover Knox and/or Hollister 1:1 with a LB or safety and allow me to double cover the WRs and the defense is at an advantage. With the top 4 WRs this team has when healthy - you are trying to cover 2 WRs with your 4th DB and you can only double one guy most likely and all 4 of the top guys can beat man and/or zone coverage. I want the best guys on the field and the ball in their hands as much as possible - give me what we saw last year all day long getting the ball to play,Akers all over the field.

Over 1 million raised for 716 day - how awesome! What a city, region, and combined fan base. Great job and support!

Can I just say ewwwwwww! Way way way over TMI here.

I don’t disagree it could be cruddy data or less proactive collectors, but these are the same 2 teams that during minicamp when some of the initial data was provided were also at the low end. Some teams were nearing 50% and these 2 teams - along with Chargers were below 25%. It could still be a sign of less active collection, but as they have been low since the spring I don’t think it is a vacation issue with a data collector - I think it is more these teams and I have no idea whether that is disclosing information or not having sustained talking points or what. I find it particularly interesting that Washington with Rivera recovering from Cancer is on the low side as that to me seems like a place they would be pushing the numbers big time.

And golf has had multiple and even now an Olympic athlete is going to miss out on his dream with a positive test - other sports continue to struggle. I think once again the NFL is doing just about as good as they can with what we know. Many teams above 75% with some teams above 85% and the league at 73% - that is better than the National rates - great job.

Yeah we hear him say a lot of things, but in practice that goes to heck. I believe he has been able to act like Pittsburgh because he had a winning combo of coach and QB, but when it comes to practice - he showed with how they handled AB when Tom wanted him back and how they handled other players including Brady - that Kraft will get involved and will butt in and show a lack of patience. I expect nothing less once Bill steps aside and the next guy comes in and struggles that he will become just like 95% of the other owners and move on in 3 years - ala Carroll. Especially as the Patriots become an after thought as Boston fans move back to the Red Sox, Bruins, and the Celtics and the Pats become 2nd and 3rd class teams in their own town - he will make even more quick decisions than others trying to right the ship.

It was 100% luck - the Jets had already hired Belichick when NE decided to offer the job. If it wasn’t for the commissioner stepping in and forging a deal - Belichick never goes to NE. The Jets were ready to let him go but force an agreement where he could not go to NE. NE got very, very lucky in the deal. 2nd you say he was not a “hot commodity” yet 2 teams hired him to be a head coach and it took the commissioner’s office to get him to NE. You are correct - Tom Brady did no take the Lions to Super Bowl because he has not played there. Let’s see He took the Pats and the Buc to the Super Bowl - the only 2 teams he has played on and he won in both places - seems he is the common denominator as the TB team couldn’t do that the year before and after he left NE got worse. Yes I remember Tom Brady’s last year in NE - he had terrible WRs and made them look pretty darn good compared to the quarterbacking they had last year. I think you totally missed how good he was to keep that team alive because after he left - everything was exposed. So Pete Carroll wasn’t ready - so they moved on - who is to say the next guy is “ready”. Pittsburgh hires coaches and let’s them grow - he fired a head coach after 3 years and then through an act of the commissioner’s office happened to choose a guy that paired with Brady was epic. We have nothing that suggests Kraft will be patient after Belichick leaves.

You answered how he lucked into the head coach. He hired a guy that was not available. How much more luck can you have. I think Belichick early really helped Brady, but Tom has left and won another Super Bowl - while Belichick was a 0.500 coach with a team that Brady hauled on his back to playoffs the year before. We will see again, but there is a significantly better chance that Brady gets a second Super Bowl win away from NE than Belichick gets one without Brady. I think it is clear early on they needed each other, but later in their career - Brady has driven that team and Belichick has tried to compliment what Brady could do and Belichick failed as once Tom was given offensive weapons again - Tom Brady got another Super Bowl MVP.