OT - Patriots, again- say it aint so Bill

[Matthew]

I hope he stays with the Pats, only because seeing great players swap teams near the end just seems wrong and usually doesn't go well. With a few exceptions of course. With him throwing a pick six as his final toss guarantees he'll be back! No way he goes out that way. And sorry to my brother Jamie, a diehard Pats fan since the 70's. I am so glad they are out. Now another team can get some glory!! Gooooo Lions!!

[unterhausen]

It seems like the trend in sports is to go to rebuilding early instead of paying a batch of older players to have a couple of good seasons. Maybe someone will go against the trend. Indy?

[clyde the point]

Brady should have retired several years ago. At this point he’s taking the spot of some worthy up-and-comer who is missing out on the chance to play. He’s had plenty of glory and paydays so at this point it’s all ego and also quite sad.

[unterhausen]

He hasn't suffered a Favre-like descent into mediocrity yet, but it could happen

[jamesdak]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

I suppose it depends on what his goals are. If he is trying to "win one more", then it seems unlikely he'd go with McDaniels to a basket case team to help with 2 years of building a team. Nor would McDaniels want to build a team around brady for two years just to see him retire and then have to start over.

Maybe this could work in Washington, if they think Haskins has potential but needs two years as the under-study.

Still, 30M a year is a lot to pay for a bridge to the future unless you think you have serious chances to put a good season together. Also, I'm sure (after this year) that he'll make a talented O-line and receiving corps a high priority if he goes to another team. Dude is old! He needs protection.

I wouldn't judge him as being as worn out as other QBs his age. He's always had the biased protection of the NFL refs so it's not like he's been beat up over the years like most QB's. I hope he does play another year just to see him fail over and over again. No respect for him or the team. Too many times caught cheating, there will always be the asterisks tied to their champion years.

[Rada]

Originally Posted by unterhausen

He hasn't suffered a Favre-like descent into mediocrity yet, but it could happen

You must have missed the game last night.

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by Rada

You must have missed the game last night.

Or most of this whole season.

[unterhausen]

Favre ended his career throwing a lot of interceptions and bad passes because his arm was gone. I feel like Brady hasn't demonstrated that level of decrepitude yet.

[daker13]

Originally Posted by clyde the point

Brady should have retired several years ago. At this point he’s taking the spot of some worthy up-and-comer who is missing out on the chance to play. He’s had plenty of glory and paydays so at this point it’s all ego and also quite sad.

You do know he was on a Super Bowl winning team last year, right? Your point would make sense if he was playing badly. Manning could barely throw by his final season. To my eyes, Brady still looks pretty good--certainly better than the majority of qb's in the NFL. He threw a few beauties last night.

So he wants a big payday, who can blame him? He's rich, but he's seen one jamoke qb after the next cash in while he let management structure his contract to maximize cap space. Joe Flacco made more $$ than Brady, and there are many more.

The 2019 Patriots were not a good team. Brady could have been kinder to his receivers, but this offense was not good. He needs weapons, and I could see him going to a team that's going to give him what he needs. Another two years and he'll retire, he's definitely in a different headspace.

Too bad the Bills got knocked out, I was hoping they would make a run for it. The look of terror in Josh Allen's eyes those last couple minutes is not something I will soon forget.

[Matthew]

I was pulling for the Bills too. I know they had a huge second half collapse, but how do the refs miss a blatant delay of game on that big 3rd down play? And that blind side block call was iffy at best. Oh well, at least the officiating is consistently terrible.

[72gmc]

Originally Posted by unterhausen

Favre ended his career throwing a lot of interceptions and bad passes because his arm was gone. I feel like Brady hasn't demonstrated that level of decrepitude yet.

I also remember Fav-ruh trying to complete throws on the move when he just didn't have that ability any longer. Like an aging jump shooter whose legs are gone.

[unterhausen]

Hard to believe that blind side block is illegal. The two players were face to face. Similarly, the illegal formation call against the Titans is ridiculous. Maybe he was back a little from the line. That's the kind of call that just makes football more boring than it already is

OTOH, watching Belichick lose his cool over the time wasting sequence was good fun. Then it turns out that Vrabel learned it from him

[kppolich]

Last night 3 things stuck out, same can be said for the Pats season this year.
1.) No Gronk, the old reliable pressure relief wasn't there. It showed.
2.) Edleman's drop on 2nd and 6 was huge.
3.) No real threats on offense. Sanu is a nice player, Edleman didn't look the same, and N'keal Harry didn't have a full season in him to get in sync with the rest of the offense.

Prediction.
Brady is back in New England next year.
Gronk is back in New England next year.
Next year is Brady's last year in the league.

[SpaceOdyssey]

Edelman has 2 significant reported injuries - a shoulder (allegedly can’t raise arm above shoulder level) and a knee (same one as before but different injury)

By some stories he should have been on IR 3 games ago

One tough cookie

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by clyde the point

Brady should have retired several years ago. At this point he’s taking the spot of some worthy up-and-comer who is missing out on the chance to play. He’s had plenty of glory and paydays so at this point it’s all ego and also quite sad.

This is disagree with. It’s a meritocracy. I think he’s in decline, but still good. His team is weakened over previous years.

It’s not his job to step aside. It’s their job to knock this six time Super Bowl champion off his perch. He’s earned the right to do whatever he wants to do until the Pats tell him to stand down or until someone beats him down in play.

He is the GOAT and I’m not a Patriots fan. I just recognize excellence and he’s still pretty good compared to most others in the league.