PostGame Thread 2023 Week 8: Patriots fall 31-17 to the Dolphins

[ahmed]

The good news is that the only “very good” teams left on the schedule are Buffalo and KC so 7-2 is possible, and a lot of the other AFC wild card contending teams also lost today. But hard to have faith that the Pats can go on such a run. Maybe if there was an in-season coach and QB change.

Never looked at it but I doubt 2-6 ever made playoff. We will 100% have a losing record. 7 wins at best.

 

[DaBruinz]

Look like a legit play to me it happened real fast it's Football.

The crown of his helmet hit first on Parker's facemask. That was plain as day as it happened and again in the replays.

 

[PatsFan2]

Mac "Coach BB will have to do his best to motivate us".

 

[PatsFan2]

The crown of his helmet hit first on Parker's facemask. That was plain as day as it happened and again in the replays.

DB I hope Parker recovers from his recent injury but honestly I'm not going to miss him. Time to roll with the Youngsters.

 

[archstanton543]

When are we going to hear from Kraft?

When the season or the war is over. Whichever cones first.

 

[PatsFan2]

They are who we thought they were. And we are who we've been.

Miami showed why they're the #1 offense in the NFL. Two 100+ yard games from their top two receivers. 31 points put on the board.

The Patriots offense lacked the firepower to even hit the 20 point mark or to ever realistically catch up.

Mac Jones making a few plays here and there but coming up short as usual.

We're 2-6 and maybe it's time to evaluate whether or not now is the time to start TANKING for Williams.

Because we're definitely not making the playoffs with this team.

The lack of offensive talent and the difference in overall talent was quite obvious today.

These CB's minus Gonzo are not very good we have a bunch of overrated Back up CBs. JC Jackson will be out of the league soon he's not the same player who left here. Age is catching up to Jonathan Jones.

 

[archstanton543]

Kraft’s best move to salvage this season is to fire Mac Jones and then tweet the footage with a three camera shot of security tossing him out of the building in the rain, in whatever way necessary to cause all of his pitifully-cradled belongings to scatter across the wet pavement and roll slowly away.

He needs to get a closeup when he reaches skyward from a puddle and pathetically groans for help completely drenched, only to realize nobody’s there.

Nobody except Sauce Gardner.

Honestly best case scenario at this point.

Who are they going to put in there? Both backups were put on waivers and 30 teams passed on them.

If you want them to tank, sure put in Cunningham.

 

[archstanton543]

We should make up our minds. If the primary problem is Jones, then we should stop blaming the WR's and stop thinking that we would be better off with Boutte and Thornton playing more.

We might consider the quality of this team, presuming that we had an average NFL QB starting and as a backup. As you point out, out WR's might do much better with a better QB.

QUESTIONS
How bad is this offense if the OL were healthy and had an average NFL quarterback leading the team?
How bad is the team in 2024 if we extend all our free agents and acquire a QB, backup QB, OT and backup OT?

For me, that is baseline situation. Go with what we have and two positions.

I understand that this won't happen. Some of the FA's might be to expensive and it might be better to find a replacement. Since I'm Ok with every position but QB and OT, not signing any of our free agents simply requires us to sign a replacement.

BOTTOM LINE
We can win with our current roster (including those on IR) if we have an average QB and a top quality OT for the future. Our Defense and Special Team are fine.

Yup the QB I'd part of the problem. But the Pats would still lose with their talent deficient roster. They ain't winning with their (non)talent on offense. I saw Trent Brown and another O-lineman just stop blocking on a play. They doubled the rusher and then for God knows what reason stopped and then let him through.

 

[PatsFan2]

Yup the QB I'd part of the problem. But the Pats would still lose with their talent deficient roster. They ain't winning with their (non)talent on offense. I saw Trent Brown and another O-lineman just stop blocking on a play. They doubled the rusher and then for God knows what reason stopped and then let him through.

Gimpy feet had more than enough time to release the football and didn't.

 

[archstanton543]

Gimpy feet had more than enough time to release the football and didn't.

You block until you hear the whistle. I don't care if Mac held onto it until Monday morning.

 

[PatsFan2]

You block until you hear the whistle. I don't care if Mac held onto it until Monday morning.

The Defense loves when he does that.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

I'd put Gonzales, Ekuale and Judon under the category of regretible normal injuries. Losing your entire OL is above and beyond.

Agreed, losing the starter and backups for a fundamental position that requires repetition is going to affect any team. Because there are no other positions of strength on this offense, starting with QB, there was no chance of success.

 

[Real fan 02]

See if you can get a 3rd from the Vikings. Maybe put in another player to sweeten the pot (Zeke).

I'll say this... Mac would then be going into a far better situation with an offensive HC, excellent WRs a excellent TE. .. so we should at least get a 3rd and a player.

 

[Real fan 02]

I differ with some of you guys in that I think there are plenty of good players on this roster. The problem is a black hole at quarterback and lousy coaching. I suppose the coaching might improve, don't know. This quarterback won't.

It's the talent. I was in denial for a long time thinking the same as you have. But it's talent be it at QB or WR. Tua is putting up numbers because of who he has around him he's not a ALL PRO on his own just like Mac isn't. I'm just curious to see if the team decided to put some real pieces around Mac what would he be.

I look at that Hurts was almost traded prior to getting AJ.
Tua was benched for Fitzpatrick for his play prior to getting his guys.

Look at what burrow was able to do to the 49ers yesterday with his guys he has.

We are devoid of talent at QB and WR

 

[1960Pats]

On the bright side the Giants are about to win. That’ll help the draft position.

Woops!

 

[1960Pats]

Outplayed on both sides of the ball. Disappointing after the effort last week, felt like they turned a corner and then same ole.

Schedule does ease up now a bit but I really felt like we needed to be 3-5 at this point to realistically have a shot at doing anything.

Worst of all is bourne’s injury, would be a huge loss to an already dismal offense.

The Pats are exactly what a majority of this board said they'd be this year. An above average defense with a below average offense. We just weren't ready for just how far below average the offense would be.

 

[1960Pats]

The league hates New England. Every week. I can’t believe this game was close in the 4th…then I think back to the calls that hurt. DPI in the end zone, no call on blatant Miami holding, cheap call on Godchaux, awful no call on the Parker hit…

Just on and on, but even if the Pats got this calls, I have little doubt in the outcome. Mac Jones is a backup NFL QB.

Sign Onwenu. Sign Dugger if it’s not ridiculous. Any other player not on a rookie deal should be up for trade (and a couple on rookie deals).

I actually stopped watching the game as soon as they called the Pats for DPI in the endzone. It doesn't sound like I missed much.

I'm really sick of watching games get decided by the refs (or the former Jets who man the replay phones) instead of the players.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The Pats are exactly what a majority of this board said they'd be this year. An above average defense with a below average offense. We just weren't ready for just how below average the offense would be.

Pretty much! And then judon and Gonzalez went down so the defense is looking more average than above average now. Without a defensive able to carry us to victories like they did the past two seasons we are probably looking at well below .500.

Hope for better health defensively next year and to hit on multiple positions on offense with our cap space and higher draft picks.

 

[upstater1]

Look like a legit play to me it happened real fast it's Football.

Head to head on a defenseless WR is a penalty 99.9% of the time. But that wasn't even the subject. It was you celebrating a concussion

 

[upstater1]

Bills are way better than the Patriots

Tom Brady with struggle against Miami once a year every year and it didn't mean nothing

What's so difficult to understand about what I wrote?

I wrote the Bills are not a powerhouse offense.