Even though Judge learned from many sources, to a large degree, he bases how he runs his program off of what BB does. His concept of sort of treating the first 4 games as “extended training camp” for example.
The fallacy in this is that approach doesn’t work.
What is becoming apparent, is that the real secret to the Patriot way was 3 things: Tom Brady, Tom Brady, Tom Brady.
Belichick was at best, ordinary as a coach before Brady and now after.
There’s no Brady here to bail out a team unprepared, a side of the ball that’s struggling. It’s also why NONE of Bill’s former coaches have been successful. Mara, who can’t analyze why a dog takes a crap, looked at BB with reverence without really determining that this approach can be successful.
Judge seems like a blowhard to me. A guy who is really good at saying the right thing, but doesn’t know what he’s doing.
Thoughts?
Agree.
The only "way" in the NFL is to have an elite QB...without that, you're going nowhere.
So Belichick is no different. But the duration of the Patriots success is incredible and Belichick deserves more respect than giving it all to "Brady, Brady, Brady".
Belichick managed that roster and gradually moved the team from a predominantly defensive team to a predominantly offensive team, while still maintaining a quality defense. Being able to manage the cap and find versatile/swiss army knife players at cheaper rates was definition of the "Patriots Way". But to optimize that, you need the QB solution like a Brady.
If BB has that in MJones, they will quickly morph back into that...
Belichick is good at putting teams together that have versatility because ultimately he wants to do the thing that gives the other team trouble. He wants the defense to take away t he other team's best two options. He wants his offense to hit the defense where they are weakest. Gaming that out and figuring which pieces you need to do that, it ain't easy.
Winning a Super Bowl without a transcendent QB is by far the exception rather than the rule.
I'm a believer in Mac Jones, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Pats are back on top during the period of his rookie contract.
Yes, Brady was genius at taking the parts he had and finding a way to make it work. But let's not kid ourselves. Scarnechia and BB deserve a TON of credit for building consistently good OLs. Just a tremendous job there.
And BB was a savant at finding RBs who fit the scheme from the RB Store. Plus, BB drafted Gronk and Edleman, one a definite HoFamer and the other at least in the conversation. And BB was brilliant at finding undervalued WRs on the market like Welker, Amendola, Hogan, etc.
I listen to WEEI out of Boston dsily just to hear some sports as besides the Giants I am mostly a NE sports fan and I think I heard the words "The Patriots Way" about 4 million times and I was begining to think "Am I the only one who thinks it is 'The Tom Brady Way"?
I hate to be that guy but I so glad that period is over. For now.
That said, the idea that a coach would treat the first quarter of the season as an extended preseason is simply ludicrous. The Pats' championship teams almost always got off to fast starts.
Brady is a all time great. He picked a new team to go to that had most of the pieces in place. His last year with the Patriots was not very impressive. Patriots have had some rough drafts and some of the better players aged out. It couldn't last forever. Let's see where Bill has that team in the next 2/3 and revisit the conversation.
Parcells practically built the first 3 peat Patriots team, absent TB obviously. Those were very good New England teams after Parcells left & Carroll wasn't the Carroll he is nowadays.
Their point was great coaches of course have great players, and get the most out if them. Bad coaches can ruin good players.
Weis said BB had more insight into the game, more command of details, and more ability to be 3 steps ahead looking down the road than almost any other coach. That’s how they maintained excellence.
They also noted they were still good when Brady had been out.
This idea that BB is nothing without Brady is simplistic. Likewise, the idea good coaches can succeed with our great players is likewise.
Locking down the key position in football with a great player for 15 years helps a ton, obviously.
+1