Bill was a sitting duck in Cleveland the last year with ownership moving. Once they move the distraction is gone. Bill B never thought Drew was his guy. Drew could run the offense the way Bill wanted it. Drew never had the skill sets BB wanted to run his offense. Bill is the one who made Brady, Brady. And Drew surely helped Brady alot more than people realize too. Look what Bill did this year with all new talent on defense and 6 picks coming in the next 52 or so. Bill is the best coach in the NFL and in the top 3 of all time in the NFL in worst case is he not? Pats if they signed Bledsoe had to spread the money out and obviously not too much of a problem when they did cut Drew so the plan is always to spread the fake money out over time. Drew may have had to stay for a few more years but he was never BB's answer to offense success.
BB was doing fine in Cleveland the last year until the announcement to move was made. Not sure how many wins he had since but had a good record I believe till then.
OK but what about 1991-1994 in Cle? If he didn't think Drew was his guy why did he give him that huge contract after the 2000 season?
Doing fine? One playoff season in 4 years is fine? After first 4 years he was 31-33 w/ one playoff app, one playoff win.
Just because you are a top recruit doesn't mean you will be a pro QB. Weis developed their skills into skills that NFL teams desire. Orton played very well in the system despite losing his best receiving threat. Weis lost his play calling duties in 1999 and it was because he didn't run enough to Parcells' liking w/o Weis and Belichick Tom Brady still wouldn't be able to get a date. w/o Belichick the Pats do not win a championship.
He also had a young Kevin Faulk catching a handful of catches per game. The depth and skill set of NE's running backs have been better. Corey Dillion had one prime year there too, but I am not really counting that. Ha yea, but you're ignoring 16 games a year. I am talking about more than just the playoffs. If I didn't make that clear I apologize. Even so, there is absolutely no way you can convince me over the past 10 years the Colts have had better defenses that the Pats.... No way. NE offense has been better rounded since Brady came onto the scene, and that can't be undervalued. From a receiver and TE level, yes more talent. But I will take the balanced offense that has been NE in terms of which group of talent I would take. Matt Cassell won 10 games after never playing in the NFL before. The 6 game slide cannot all be put on Cassell, but it is impossible to argue that because there is no way of know how many wins Brady would have gotten that year. Giving 6 wins to BUF, and taking 6 wins from our team, doesn't prove your point. It's like when you take successful games our D had away (because the opposing team had backup QB, or the last BUF game) to prove your point that they weren't successful this year :grin:. He won 10 games, never playing in the NFL before. Props to the system and the coaching no?
Bill wasn't doing the best being a Tom C, my way or the highway. Drew was the face of the Patriots loved by Bob Kraft. see my other posting on the DB signing. I'll say it again. Drew Bledsoe did not have the skill sets BB was looking for and until he had someone in the mold of those skill sets brought in tons of QBs for tryout and had to keep DB signed. Even after Brady won the SB Drew had tons of loyal followers. You can always get what you want till you have someone ready to step in. Pats have a nice second string QB now too!
Edge was a better runner than Smith or Dillon and a better receiver than Faulk. Who cares about the reg season? each team was winning 12-14 games a year and setting themselves up for deep playoff runs. What matters is how they played in postseason. Peyton calls the plays, he abandons the run game. That's why their O isn't as well rounded. Cassel was in that system for years. he wouldn't have been Brady's primary backup if they didn't think he could play. The point is 6 wins is a HUGE difference. No it doesn't guarantee anything but you act like he took some untalented bum, Clausen was considered a guy who was going to be a good pro QB and a high pick. He went alot lower than expected and didn't develop the way he should have. he inherited Brady Quinn, he made him better but clearly did not prepare him to be a quality NFL QB. Orton did not make plays to win games, that is why they are looking elsewhere for a QB. Weis lost his playcalling duties in 1998 NOT 1999. Brady was the most important guy in those dynatsy years, w/o him BB would have been fired. BB has develope dinto a great HC but w/o Brady rescuing him he never would have had the shot.
Oh how i hated Parcells run, run and run for 1.2 yds every play. Hated Parcells play calling. Superbowl was the worst play calling in the history of the super bowl, Thing Bill Parcells tanked that one on purpose. They know he was on the phone even the same day I believe talking over a future deal for himself but Bill was going to force a run call at all cost, even 3rd and 15.
I don't know why I wrote that, maybe just piling on points . I stick by all my other statements though.
You said Weis never developed a QB. He developed two college QBs into Pros. He developed Brady. Cassel and Testaverde had their best seasons under him. Orton was the ENTIRE Broncos offense. They got rid of his number 1 receiving threat. That team was decimated by poor leadership. Orton is expendable because the Broncos invested a number 1 draft pick in Tebow and Tebow showed promise at the end of the season. Belichick is the MOST important piece to the Patriots dynasty. Without him they don't win one single Championship. Weis lost his play calling duties in 1999 NOT 1998 http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/08/s...-is-calling-plays-to-balance-jets-attack.html
He absolutely loved to run the football. It carried him to two Super Bowl Championships with the Giants.
No, he wasn't. Less yards and YPC. I care about the regular season, fans do, and every team does because if you suck in the regular season you're playoff stats don't exist. I have said several times this is a total body of work, regular season included. I know you are a huge fan of excluding particular stats to prove your point, but I am writing again in this debate that that is not the objective here. All games, regular season and post season. The Pats D way over the Colts D for the past decade. I can't believe this is even still a talking point. Edge, a guy you brought into this convo, had 5 1000 rush yard seasons. Why did the Colts run game suck then? BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONLY RB THEY HAD. The Colts want a running game, and they know they haven't had one this decade. Why else would they draft Addai in the First, then the kid from Conn a few years later? They want multiple backs getting chunks of yardage to compete with other running attacks in the league. There is no ignoring this. So you are saying Curtis Painter is the Colts backup because the Colts think he can play? You use who you have at your disposal. I'm not doubting 6 wins is a big difference, but 10 wins in a 3 headed division for a unproven QB is beyond exceptional.
If you paid attention to the Pats that preseason, Cassel was in a very close competition with O'Connell for the backup position... and both of them sucked badly. I think the general feeling was that we kept Cassel for lack of better options.
