The Patriots are headed to the playoffs yet again, this time hoping to avoid the Super Bowl hangover and return to the big game for a fifth time in the last fifteen seasons. But as the team prepares for the post-season, there will no doubt be a number of blunders, some of which will have a more negative effect on the team than others. Bill Belichick, however, has shown an uncanny ability to bounce back from those mistakes. From the Deion Branch drop against the Chiefs to the Malcolm Butler interception in the Super Bowl, Belichick has shown his ability to make the right call at the right time over and over again. Though his coaching career may be winding down, he has made some of the biggest plays in the Patriots history,
The Patriots are winners and losers in the NFL. Some are more obvious than others, but all have some sort of bearing on how the team is viewed. This week, we take a look at five of Bill Belichick’s biggest, most controversial, and ultimately most successful, decisions. From N’Keal Harry to Tom Brady, here’s a look at the five worst decisions from Belichick’s time as Patriots head coach.
The Patriots have come a long way from the early days of Bill Belichick, where they were known as “the gang that couldn’t shoot straight”. Or was it “the gang that couldn’t pass?”. Regardless, the Patriots have become a dang good team under Belichick, and they are coming off their most successful season in recent memory. So, what are some of his biggest mistakes over the years?. Read more about bill belichick record without tom brady and let us know what you think.
Bill Belichick is a football genius and one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history. His leadership, strategies and defensive skills have made the New England Patriots one of the best dynasties in modern sports history.Over time, however, Belichick has made major mistakes that have negatively impacted the Patriots’ long-term plans. Which are the worst? A failed trade or free agency deal is one thing, but a contract that fails after two years isn’t so bad when you’re talking about a team that has won six Super Bowls in the last 20 years. We also did not consider decisions or outcomes during the game. So David Tyree is not on the list for catching the ball with his helmet on.
Looking at the overall impact on the New England Patriots organization, Belichick’s worst decisions are:
4. Free Tom Brady
Hindsight is always wiser, and there are probably plenty of Patriots fans who think the team made the right decision by dumping Brady. He seemed old and slow in 2019, and it may be time for him to retire. The photos of him holding the Lombardi Trophy in a Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey suggest otherwise, of course.
Then why isn’t he at the top of the list? The reasons why Brady’s final season with the Patriots went so poorly can be attributed to Belichick’s mistakes. To say that the effect is worse than the cause is incorrect in this case. Brady’s departure is a mistake by the Patriots, but not the worst thing the franchise has done.
3. Continued confidence in Josh McDaniels
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (R) has stuck with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels | Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald
For someone who believes in the football business, Belichick is extremely loyal, to a point. Look at the team’s decision to keep McDaniels after a disappointing 2020 season.
Sometimes you need fresh blood and a new voice. McDaniels deserves absolute credit for being the offensive coordinator associated with Brady and the Patriots’ historic offensive operations. But he is also partly responsible for what has gone wrong in the attack over the last two seasons.
Would firing or reassigning McDaniels after the 2020 season look like desperation? For some, maybe. But for others, it would be a condemnation of Belichick to part with coaches like he does with the greatest players in franchise history.
2. N’Keel Harry, Chad Jackson and almost every other receiver put on.
Patriots’ failed first-round WR N’Keel Harry may be fighting for a roster spot, per @bostonherald.
It was previously reported that Belichick ignored his own scouts and preferred Harry over other WRs such as A.J. Brown, Deebo, etc.
Meanwhile, Coach Harry blamed Cam for his problems pic.twitter.com/WmsxdCiEz7
– Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 15, 2021
Every team makes mistakes when selecting players, but many of the receivers the Patriots drafted never lived up to expectations. Don’t let Julian Edelman, seventh pick in 2009, win over names like Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Taylor Price.
It’s easy to forget the acquisition of Chad Jackson in 2006 because the acquisitions of Randy Moss and Wes Welker were so successful a year later. The same goes for Edelman, whose breakthrough season came in 2013 a few months after Boyce and Dobson were drafted, neither of whom saw the 2015 season in a Patriots uniform.
It’s easy to whine about N’Keel Hurry and his runs, but you have to wonder what would have happened if the Patriots had selected A.J. Brown or D.K. Metcalfe in 2019? The Patriots’ sluggish offense suddenly looked much better. How can the Patriots expect an aging Brady, mediocre receivers and an injured Rob Gronkowski to consistently win games?
1. Spend as much choice onquarterbacks
FOR YOUR INFORMATION: Tom Brady won his first SB in 2001. Yet the Patriots drafted Rohan Davey (2002), Cliff Kingsbury (2003), Matt Cassel (2005), Kevin O’Connell (2008), Zach Robinson (2010), Ryan Mallett (2011), Jimmy Garoppolo (2014), Jacoby Brissett (2016), Jarrett Stidham (2019).
– Arrowhead Addict (@ArrowheadAddict) March 11, 2021
Yes, it makes sense to add a young quarterback every year or two to grow up behind the scenes. Using a seventh-round pick for a three-year ACC starter isn’t the worst decision in the world, even if your quarterback is named Brady.
Here’s the deal. From 2002-19, the Patriots drafted six quarterbacks between the second and fourth rounds. Should the Patriots have added Jacoby Brissett in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft? What about Kevin O’Connell’s pick in the same round eight years earlier?
As for Brissett, who impressed as the Colts’ starting quarterback in 2017 and 2019, which one makes the most sense? Invest in him if Jimmy Garoppolo is the heir apparent, or look for offensive weapons?
No one would confuse Saints tight end Nick Wannett (who was chosen three times after Brissett) with Gronkowski, even though his nickname is Baby Gronk. But maybe adding a second, younger tight end would help, given how well the two-tight end system worked with Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.
Belichick is one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, but let’s not pretend that his resume with the Patriots isn’t seriously flawed. Those who have already gotten the best of football under Belichick should strive to learn from his mistakes as well.
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COMPARED TO: Old Tom Brady almost guaranteed to break another age record in 2021The Patriots have had more than their fair share of controversies over the years, and a select few have significantly shaped the course of team history. Bill Belichick’s decision to draft N’Keal Harry in the first round of the 2018 draft is one such controversy. The pick was controversial because of the selection’s timing, as it came after the team had lost their 2018 first round pick to the NFL in a Super Bowl tampering scandal.. Read more about brady belichick and let us know what you think.
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