An Independent Patriots Blog
Judge: Patriots draft needs – 14-2 to deceptively needy
I can’t really argue with what Judge lays out here. The facts are the facts (0-3 in last three playoff games) and the stats are the stats (defensive passer rating was scary) but of course “stats are for losers”.
It’s obvious that’s the Patriots/Bilichick front office formula is starting to take root in the league and is spreading quickly. Eventually, these teams will have to start spending to keep their top players. That is the price a team should pay for drafting well. But if they keep drafting well and developing players they still wont necessarily have to be in the top 5 each and every year in cash expenditures. It also points to Nick Casario, Director of Player Personnel for the Patriots, and Les Snead of the Falcons being high on owners’ GM short list.
The bottom line is that; intangible management methods that produce effective scouting and coaching staffs reign supreme in building a winning organization. Owners who are willing to let go of the mom and pop attitude and hire good football people with a solid plan will be successful.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/its-obvious-thats-the-patriotsbilichick-front/
In this week’s Sports Illustrated they polled NFL fans to find their opinions on the current labor dispute. Here are some interesting numbers:
Nearly half of fans (44%) say they would have less future interest in the NFL after a delayed or canceled season.
In my opinion the NFL is highly underrating the effect that any missed games would have for their fan base. They just assume that the fans will come back in full force as soon as the game comes back.
But let me use the NHL lockout of 2004 as an example. I was as big of a hockey fan as anyone prior to that lockout, but afterwards I totally lost track of the sport. And it wasn’t even on purpose really. I just lost interest, found other things to do, and developed an insane obsession for football.
The owners and players should really be aware that they’re going to lose fans. They probably already have.
With a disrupted NFL season, NCAA football would gain prominence getting more attention from 57.3 percent of NFL fans.
Go Cal Bears! Yeah I have done like zero Bears research since declaring my fanship for them last week. I’m trying people, but it’s not easy to force yourself into being a fan of a random team that you have no true connection to…
Fans would also spend more time surfing the internet (56.1%), with significant others (45.1%), doing yard work chores (43.6%), playing video games (33.5%) and at church (13%).
So it looks like God would have to be on the lockout’s side? Family members too, especially wives who want to see the front yard get mulched.
What would fans miss most if the season is disrupted? 41.8 percent of fans said watching with friends and family and 40.7 percent said following a team. Only 5.2 percent of fans said fantasy football is what they’ll most miss and only 1.3 percent said betting on games.
I found this kind of interesting because I’ve often said that the pregame/buildup to watching football is the best part. Especially when your team loses. But it looks like most fans tend to be on that side of the fence, just a little more than the actual following of the team. If you asked me I’d probably break about 51% for the experience that goes with watching games, 49% for actually following the team. I don’t give a crap about fantasy football or gambling.
PatriotsFootballPlace.com: Historical Support Showing Difficulty in Projecting DE to 34 OLB
Good stuff here, shows why trading up for an OLB conversion project is dicey at best. I think Robert Quinn is the only one to even consider, and even then I’m skeptical. If someone reported that Quinn’s FBI is off the charts like Jerod Mayo it might make it a little more palatable for me, but I have yet to see any kind of report that even hints at that.
Holy Hoodie! The Brady Six looks epic! Not that I really care what the other six guys are doing now. My biggest question is will they be able to mention Chad Pennington tearing his ACL last week playing baseball.
You know whenever they bust out these Brady films you’re guaranteed to get these clips:
At least there’s definitely a shot of long haired Brady getting interviewed so it won’t just be all the old popular clips recycled yet again.
Either way my eyeballs will be pinned to the TV. April 12th. ESPN. Mark it down.
Great slideshow from Frenz, with pretty pictures! Hard to believe we’re just 22 days away from finally putting all the debate and analysis to bed.
The longer the mock draft the more and more ridiculous it becomes, but that doesn’t stop ESPN’s resident draft gurus Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay from doing three rounders. At least they don’t attempt the ultimate exercise in futility, aka the seven round mock draft.
Here’s who they have the Pats taking:
Instead of criticizing these picks (and I definitely don’t see all these guys as great fits) let’s just imagine that these are the actual results of who the Patriots drafted. Either way you get a sense of just how much talent the Pats are poised to add yet again this spring.
But clearly there are some divisive prospects on here. McShay’s draft alone would be great fodder for the podcast since Frenz would be psyched to get Watt, but scratching his head over Ingram.
Interesting that both mocks had Daniel Thomas and Marcus Gilchrist as selections, and along with Jonathan Baldwin make up the only three that aren’t on my big board.
Baldwin had some character flags that caused me to drop him. I believe there are better backs available than Thomas, though he’s big and seems like he would add a new element to the Green-Ellis/Woodhead backfield.
Gilchrist projects to safety but his lack of physicality is a big of a flag to me as well. There is definitely a need for a developmental free safety so perhaps Gilchrist could be a good fit, especially if he could play a little nickel corner as Wes Bunting believes he could day one.