PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Patriots Over Investment in Secondary Didn’t Pay Off

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I started blogging about the Patriots around the time that the old dynasty defense was dying. The 2007 defense squeezed the last bit of life out of Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Richard Seymour, Mike Vrabel and other supporting members who helped define the Pats teams of the 2000s. Then the retirements and departures began and I realized that if Tom Brady was to ever get four or more Super Bowls, Bill Belichick would have to build him a new defense, mostly from scratch.

It was fascinating to see them emerge from the depths of the 2010 defense that needed turnovers to survive, to the 2014 and 2016 Super Bowl-winning squads that made huge key plays under the most pressing circumstances. But there’s no denying that 2017 was a step backwards. Yes, injury attrition had a lot to do with that, but it was just as much a string of missed draft picks and decisions to cut ties with the picks they did hit on.

I really don’t want to kick a dead horse, but I can’t help but need to vent about how this all unfolded over the past few seasons. How did the Patriots go from having the most promising young defense in the league in 2014 to what’s looking like another rebuild in less than three seasons? But is this even a rebuild this time around? Let’s dive in.

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Patriots Internal Free Agents and Philosophy Re-Group

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As a rule I try not to jump into mock drafts or big name free agents as the offseason begins. The priority must start with the Patriots internal free agents because those holes would be best filled by players who have already been groomed in-house. Sometimes you hope that certain players make a leap otherwise you’re forced to dip into external free agency where you spend more for players you know less about.

But by now we know how the Pats operate — bargain free agents and mid-round draft picks. Don’t expect a monumental departure from that philosophy this season no matter how bad the defense looked in the Super Bowl.

Here are the current depth charts (not really in true depth-ranked order so don’t @ me!) and what the overall plan should be on both sides of the ball. Players likely to be cut have a strikethrough.

Offense

Holes — Left Tackle, Running Back

Strength — Quarterback, Wide Receiver

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Prayers For Any Quarterback the Pats Draft

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As everyone turns the page from head-scratching Super Bowl loss to the offseason, the focus is becoming increasing clearer that the expectation is the Patriots must draft Tom Brady‘s successor in a couple months.

Last year, we knew we were likely headed into the last season of the Brady-Jimmy Garoppolo duo, and barring something catastrophic, it was likely that Garoppolo would end up elsewhere. What we didn’t know, and should have, was that Garoppolo would be hung around the Patriots’ and their fan’s necks for the rest of his career. The questions of how much compensation the Pats should’ve gotten, of whether getting rid of Brady a few years early to get another 10 with Garoppolo was worth it, and so on.

As Patriots fans we’re stuck with Jimmy Garoppolo and his “woulda/coulda” relationship with the Patriots. But it’s not quite as bad as what is coming down the pike for the poor rookie signal caller who will be saddled with not only being the heir apparent to Brady but also have his career constantly compared to what Garoppolo does in San Francisco. The weight of those implications must be seriously considered by the Patriots.

Drafted quarterbacks are no strangers to pressure, especially when they’re taken high in the draft and immediately dubbed a franchise savior. The Patriots draftee will be in a different position, but one that will be almost more difficult.

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Lamenting Dion Lewis’ Reduced Super Bowl Role

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Can you really complain about the Patriots’ offense in the Super Bowl when they put up 613 yards of offense and 33 points? The defense has correctly gotten the bulk of the blame from the 41-33 track meet, while Tom Brady has gotten deserved praise for an epic performance in a losing effort.

But I can’t help but wonder if the game might’ve unfolded differently had the Patriots first three drives stalled without touchdowns. A field goal, missed field goal then turnover on downs was far from an ideal start. The Patriots came out featuring James White in what is their passing package. They tried to open games like this quite a few times this season and almost every time the offense stalled until Dion Lewis was inserted and suddenly they started really moving the ball and scoring.

In my Super Bowl gameplan I had hoped Lewis would be the MVP of the game. He was the sneaky MVP of the season, but had just nine touches in the biggest game, a far cry from the 15-carry/three pass target average he had over the final 11 games of the regular season. In the first two playoff games he had 15 attempts/10 targets (TEN), and nine attempts/eight pass targets (JAX).

Overall the nine touches for Lewis was the lowest since Week 5 against Tampa Bay.

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Five Most Intriguing 2018 Returning Patriots

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As we slowly start to turn the page to 2018, it’s hard not to get excited about the number of players the Patriots have already welcomed back to the roster off of IR. It was a banner year on the injury front which is always a terrible thing, but it can pay off down the line as young players get additional playing time and have a chance to develop at an accelerated pace.

With a number of significant free agent holes, that start at left tackle and running back, there are also quite a few positions where the Patriots suddenly have some impressive depth, and the number of intriguing players who will take the field this summer is already high before we’ve even touched a free agent or a rookie.

Here’s a quick list of the five guys I’m most interested to see re-integrated into the team this summer.

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Patshow #124: 2017 Season Finale

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Here’s our season finale of Patshow! 24 episodes, what a season it was!! Thank you to everyone who tuned in, asked questions and helped spread the word. Of all the fun that came out of this season’s run to the Super Bowl, none topped getting to go Patshow with Nick Stevens and the creative masterminds at MediaBoss. Here’s hoping we’ll be back with even more studio shows next season. Until then we’ll be filling then gap with as much other fun content as we can produce.

Here in ep 24 we wrap up Super Bowl 52, visit with an Eagles fan and a Matt Patricia look alike as well as briefly preview the offseason. It’s the last Patshow of the season!

 

Patriots Gameplan: The 2018 Offseason

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And just like that, the team-building portion of the season has commenced. We’re on to 2018.

Belichick and McDaniels staying, at least one more go-round with Tom Brady, and a bunch of really good players returning from injury. As we turn the page on 2017 and the loss to the Eagles, next fall is already looking promising if only by getting Julian Edelman and Dont’a Hightower back alone. Not to mention Derek Rivers, Harvey Langi, Shea McClellin and others like Tony Garcia, etc.

There are two places the Patriots must start — left tackle and running back. From there the dominos will fall, into external free agency and the draft.

Here are the headlines of what’s coming this offseason and an early feel on the needs.

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