Bill Belichick the coach finally has seen the results of what Bill Belichick the GM has done to him and there is no TB-12 to cover it all up. Let’s face it, we all have bad years but this one has been building for a while now.
Let’s just talk in terms of skill sets instead of specific players. This team has no speed to stretch the field on the perimeter and keep extra defenders from creeping into the box to stop the run. Denver showed us last week this, by sneaking safety Justin Simmons into the box as an unaccounted for run defender time and time again. The Pats have no ability to separate from tight coverage and make teams pay via the pass when teams cheat like this on defense. Now we see that the injuries up front on the offensive line have dissipated their ability to communicate as a group and protect the passer vs the simplest of stunts and blitzes.
Add Cam Newton’s lack of fundamentals and throwing mechanics going south, emphasis the problem and their offense is a total mess. We had expressed concern in this blog, a couple weeks back, of the Pats ability to sustain or evolve from what we saw on offense the first couple of weeks. Not only have our expectations been realized but now, but since returning from his COVID-19 absence, Cam has yet to even return to his week 1-2 form much less evolve into something beyond. I don’t think a trade for a receiver or even an offensive lineman will make things better for the long haul but might help as a Band-Aid temporarily. Said another way, we all have these miscalculations and in turn years to forget. I think you can put a fork in the Patriots for 2020. All teams should be so lucky as to only have “just one” of these years every 20 years.