I still don't know what direction I want the Patriots to take into 2024 and beyond. I guess it doesn't matter what I want because they aren't considering my opinion (despite being a key loss for a 1-7 football team and publishing thousands of good blogs read by approximately 47 people per post), but a blind man can see that things are crumbling at One Patriot Place.
Belichick has been on his Wes-Welker-in-Super Bowl-XLVI-swag the last two years because he's dropped the fucking ball. After a free agent-led rebuild and the drafting of Mac Jone and Christian Barmore, 2021 was a delight for Patriot fans (at least until after the Bills MNF game). Even though they got curb-stomped in the playoffs, it felt like they were building something. Then came 2022. Hiring Matt Patricia for Mac Jone's all-important second season was quite possibly the worst decision Bill's made in New England, and let me remind you, he once traded a 2nd rounder for Mohamed Sanu. The domino effect from poor personnel decisions is no joke. 
The game's been passing/has passed Bill by for a minute, but the Pats defense was respectable if not flat out good in 2023. Believe me, I'm not super thrilled with Bill as of late, but he's still one of (if not) the best coaches in NFL history...even with his flaws. If you're gonna move on from Belichick, you need to have a solid replacement plan, and who better than one of the best linebackers from the first half of the double-dynasty who's also a pretty damn good coach?
Mike Vrabel has been the scapegoat for the Titan's past two seasons as if he wanted to trade A.J. Brown and personally injured all his players during 2022's from 7-3 to 7-10 disaster. Before a down two years, Vrabel was one of the league's best "young" coaches. He won coach of the year in 2021 after leading the Titans to a 12-5 record and the #1 seed in the AFC (I had Bengals ML in their playoff choke job).
I'm worried that by the time I finish this post, Vrabs will already be hired elsewhere; he will be the biggest name available (until Belichick and the Pats potentially decide to "part ways"). The Titans made a mistake firing Vrabel, and they're getting roasted online as they should. The front office blew up the team and blamed the coach when the team regressed...Sounds like a Republican congressperson.
I mean....look at the QBs this guy coached. Three playoff appearances is a miracle.
Dark, but funny and true.
The Titans are a lower-class organization when it comes to reputation and accomplishments. This team fired Bum Phillips after an 11-win season when they were still the Oilers. From 2009 to 2017, the Titans made the playoffs a whopping one time. Vrabel deserves better. I'd love to see him come home to Foxboro.
Bill Belichick is a coaching God, but all things eventually end. If Vrabel weren't available, I'd be more down with giving Billy one more chance like Biggie, but things have changed. Mike Vrabel is on the market. It's clear he still has a great relationship with the organization. Players love him and want to play for him. I'm as sentimental as they get, but you can't be in the business of sports. If the Patriots are gonna move on from Bill, now is the time. Their man is available (who knows for how much longer?).
GO GET HIM.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
October 2024
|
RSS Feed