Game #9 Washington Commanders vs NE Patriots Sunday, November 5, 2023 1:00 PM (TBD)

[BigKen]

And Boutte is still in BB's doghouse. At least let him try again. He did catch the ball both times.

These receivers (exclude Douglas) have the worst hands for professional football players I can remember. And watching NFL football on television goes back to 1957. (Yep, black and white)

 

[redseat]

JuJu let it slip right through his hands.

Douglas.... WHY go backwards on a punt return? Start completely over with the WR core for sure. IF BB is around for next years draft I highly doubt he will address any of those issues

 

[cheerupcharlie]

I’m no Mac apologist but the WR’s have done him dirty. Boutte not getting his feet down(the 2nd would have been very difficult)… Parker dropping the bomb…. Ju Ju letting the ball slip through his fingers….. all 3 were potential game changers/winners that Mac threw good catchable balls at the end of the game.

 

[redseat]

I’m no Mac apologist but the WR’s have done him dirty. Boutte not getting his feet down(the 2nd would have been very difficult)… Parker dropping the bomb…. Ju Ju letting the ball slip through his fingers….. all 3 were potential game changers/winners that Mac threw good catchable balls at the end of the game.

Bill has done him dirty as well without getting him talent

 

[YankeeRebel]

I’m no Mac apologist but the WR’s have done him dirty. Boutte not getting his feet down(the 2nd would have been very difficult)… Parker dropping the bomb…. Ju Ju letting the ball slip through his fingers….. all 3 were potential game changers/winners that Mac threw good catchable balls at the end of the game.

I think most agree Mac has been decent, but decent at best. WRs suck, and BB sucks at acquiring WRs be it via the draft or FA which is why his GM duties may need to be stripped away.

 

[redseat]

I think most agree Mac has been decent, but decent at best. WRs suck, and BB sucks at acquiring WRs be it via the draft or FA which is why his GM duties may need to be stripped away.

Yes for the love of god Kraft.. STRIP HIM of being the GM! PLEASE!

 

[sharkymcwrath]

I’m no Mac apologist but the WR’s have done him dirty. Boutte not getting his feet down(the 2nd would have been very difficult)… Parker dropping the bomb…. Ju Ju letting the ball slip through his fingers….. all 3 were potential game changers/winners that Mac threw good catchable balls at the end of the game.

Just for the sake of argument, and because I dislike Mac, if he were anything more of a leader he'd be getting more out of them.

Ya, the team sucks but the offense is being led by a person that isn't a leader.

 

[cheerupcharlie]

Just for the sake of argument, and because I dislike Mac, if he were anything more of a leader he'd be getting more out of them.

Ya, the team sucks but the offense is being led by a person that isn't a leader.

So… if he were a better leader, they would have caught those balls? Playing hard because you’re getting paid millions or because you’re playing in front of 65 thousand home fans or because you have pride in yourself and what you’ve worked your butt off for, for the last 20 years isn’t enough? You need him to be a leader for you to become a better player… okay

 

[sharkymcwrath]

So… if he were a better leader, they would have caught those balls? Playing hard because you’re getting paid millions or because you’re playing in front of 65 thousand home fans or because you have pride in yourself and what you’ve worked your butt off for, for the last 20 years isn’t enough? You need him to be a leader for you to become a better player… okay

That's what I believe, yes. There are more followers than leaders and followers like to follow leaders.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Just for the sake of argument, and because I dislike Mac, if he were anything more of a leader he'd be getting more out of them.

Ya, the team sucks but the offense is being led by a person that isn't a leader.

So are you saying Mac is the issue? It's odd to me that players are stating he is good leader but you don't feel he is. We all agree the tantrums were are necessary I say were b/c it seems to have stopped. But shit athletes want to win, they show emotion.

 

[Southieinnc]

We simply are not a good team. But I put this loss on our 3rd down defense. When you let the QB run for 24 yards on a 3rd and 23……. Not good.

https://www.si.com/nfl/patriots/news/new-england-patriots-owner-robert-kraft-son-jonathan-viral-video-were-not-good-enough

https://x.com/TheRealGresh/status/1721257164302405674?s=20

Going into this game we were 9th in rushing defense and 16th in pass defense.
Somehow we were 28th in points per game. How is that even possible?

 

[sharkymcwrath]

So are you saying Mac is the issue? It's odd to me that players are stating he is good leader but you don't feel he is. We all agree the tantrums were are necessary I say were b/c it seems to have stopped. But shit athletes want to win, they show emotion.

I actually didn't say that at all. I'm saying the leader of the offense is part of the problem and if he were a better leader we may have won a few of these close games.

And I'm not stating that as "matter of fact". I'm saying it's my opinion.

The dude has a punchable face. I'm probably not the only one who feels that way.

 

[BigKen]

The only thing holding this team together is Robert Kraft.

If his son Johnathan had the full control and not just "President", he would have shitcanned the entire staff after 2022. That would have been the perfect time and circumstance.

New, younger coaching staff would have started turning the team in a different direction.

The new team might still be losing, but there would be no doghouse and there would have been a lot of player movement last week.

There would not have been trades for bald retreads on the OL. Might have seen some completely unknowns fighting for their football lives and not collecting an "illness" check.

Mac might be carrying a clipboard for Zappe or another QB. He would not be starting because he was drafted in the first round.

Just my opinion. I think RK is in love with his Patriot history and is praying that BB will find that magic that he had from 2001 thru 2019. Like Belichick, age has caught up with him and he can't react like he once did. Robert knows that his son will be ruthless and that's not RK's style.

 

[YankeeRebel]

I actually didn't say that at all. I'm saying the leader of the offense is part of the problem and if he were a better leader we may have won a few of these close games.

And I'm not stating that as "matter of fact". I'm saying it's my opinion.

The dude has a punchable face. I'm probably not the only one who feels that way.

So how does having a punchable face translate to wining a few more games? Or your presumed lack of leadership? I don't get the correlation.

 

[YankeeRebel]

The only thing holding this team together is Robert Kraft.

If his son Johnathan had the full control and not just "President", he would have shitcanned the entire staff after 2022. That would have been the perfect time and circumstance.

New, younger coaching staff would have started turning the team in a different direction.

The new team might still be losing, but there would be no doghouse and there would have been a lot of player movement last week.

There would not have been trades for bald retreads on the OL. Might have seen some completely unknowns fighting for their football lives and not collecting an "illness" check.

Mac might be carrying a clipboard for Zappe or another QB. He would not be starting because he was drafted in the first round.

Just my opinion. I think RK is in love with his Patriot history and is praying that BB will find that magic that he had from 2001 thru 2019. Like Belichick, age has caught up with him and he can't react like he once did. Robert knows that his son will be ruthless and that's not RK's style.

Well it seem RK and BB have completed control but something has to give. RK won't just hand over the reins to JK so maybe BB needs to be the out man out. I said this last week, I feel BB is trying just not able to get it done.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

So are you saying Mac is the issue? It's odd to me that players are stating he is good leader but you don't feel he is. We all agree the tantrums were are necessary I say were b/c it seems to have stopped. But shit athletes want to win, they show emotion.

Rule #1, don't throw anyone under the bus.
Rule #2, anyone that throws their team mates under the bus is probably the problem.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Rule #1, don't throw anyone under the bus.
Rule #2, anyone that throws their team mates under the bus is probably the problem.

True.

I get a lot of the frustration with Mac and I agree he has a punchable face but I think the problems are bigger than one person

 

[sharkymcwrath]

True.

I get a lot of the frustration with Mac and I agree he has a punchable face but I think the problems are bigger than one person

My kid was in a baseball tournament yesterday at the same time as the Pats so I didn't see the game. I occasionally checked nfl.com as well as Ken's comments on here to keep up.

I just saw a video a few minutes ago of one of Thortons routes that was just awful. The defender barely had to do anything to defend it. The article was about Thorton being benched.

How did it come to this?

 

[Yankee Traveler]

My kid was in a baseball tournament yesterday ....

AND???

Where TF is the rest of the info on this?

 

[Dude]

My kid was in a baseball tournament yesterday at the same time as the Pats so I didn't see the game. I occasionally checked nfl.com as well as Ken's comments on here to keep up.

I just saw a video a few minutes ago of one of Thortons routes that was just awful. The defender barely had to do anything to defend it. The article was about Thorton being benched.

How did it come to this?

IIRC, Mac missed Thornton twice when he was wide open.