Best possible result. I hope it carries over for the next 20 years.

Drake Maye sets them up for another ~15 years of being in the hunt which is terrifying. He is a phenom who will win multiple MVP's. He personifies the modern QB.

But also keep in mind the importance of the Vrabel hire. He represented a full culture change that was required. They are back to being a violent beat you up defense- that defense is already on par with the dynasty teams, they don't have any "name" guys other than Gonzalez right now but there are stars emerging all over the field, guys who are going to become the Brusci, Vrabel, Harrison, Law's of this era- we will ALL know their names in the next couple years and they will be some of the best at their positions. Offensively, two hard running one gap thumpers who are fine lowering the pads and getting 3 as long as you feel that shit.

To me, that's not just a reflection of great talent being acquired, it's a reflection of Vrabel being in charge, he is a football guy who has built a culture of intensity and family. When you hear the excerpts of guys talking about him, man that is EVERYTHING that team is built on- him setting the tone as the leader for the whole fucking thing. When you watch him on the sidelines, he might as well have his pads and helmet on because he is that plugged in. His interviews are steeped in the power of the football family. You've seen footage of him crying with his guys, standing in the tunnel hugging every single one of them after losses, etc...

I think we are very much a reflection of our coach as well. A very very very finesse, very mechanical, very do everything by some kind of script precision vehicle. If everything is just perfect- if all the blocks are made, if the routes are 100% perfectly executed, it is beautiful, but if there's a slight misfire, things go to shit in a minute! It has it's moments, there are going to be times when it is glorious in form and i capable of leaving you breathless, but those are going to be moments, not seasons, not generations. We aren't built for that sadly. There is nothing about this team in its current form that feels like we are "tough", that we can withstand our QB constantly having the ball stripped from him, that we can line up and just tell you were are going to beat your fucking ass. Nope, that's not how we are constructed and that's not how I see our leadership at all.

New England also prioritizes QB. They used a first on Mac Jones saw he wasn't the one and used another first on Maye three years later and developed the dude. Ballard gives the impression he can build this Super Bowl team (well now playoff contending team) and just plug in any old average QB and win. At least he seems to talk and act that way. It has been a fatal flaw as a GM. We have spent so much draft capital on defensive lineman and have nothing to show for it. Ballard has been excellent producing an offensive line but other than that I don't see great players (drafted) or decent depth anywhere on this roster.

Let’s not get swept up in irrational exuberance about the Patriots.

They beat the Chargers, but didn’t exactly look like a juggernaut.

Against Houston, they needed 4 interceptions en route to victory in a game where they rolled up 12 Offensive first downs and 285 total yards.

If they make it to the Super Bowl, it’ll be courtesy of a season ending injury to Bo Nix.

Once there, they’ll face a Seattle team that will squash them like bug.

In the regular season, they played a historically weak schedule against opponents who combined for a .391 winning percentage.


In the regular season, they rang up EXACTLY 1 win over a team with a winning record. A 3 point squeaker over Buffalo in week 5. Okay… 2 if you include a game against the Ravens who were without their starting QB in the 2nd half.

Their final 7 game stretch included:

W vs Jets. 3-14
W vs Cincinnati 6-11 (Flacco started)
W vs Giants. 4-14
L vs Bills. 12-5
W vs Baltimore 8-9 (Huntley played the 2nd half)
W vs Jets. 3-14
W vs Miami. 7-10

And, lest you think they simply took advantage of an easy closing schedule, their first 7 games included 1 win over a team that finished with a winning record.

They played only 2 teams that went to the playoffs.

The Colts, with a healthy Daniel Jones, might have gone 15-2.

The only problem with this is Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye weren't in the 2023 draft. Probably not a coincidence that the #1, #2, and #3 QBs went in that order to the first three teams in the draft.

Good QB-evaluating teams, I guess.

Meanwhile, the Top-3 in 2023 were Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, and Anthony Richardson. Bryce Young and AR have more-or-less been bummers...

...and CJ Stroud has been 2-years of mediocre before melting down in the playoffs and now they're contemplating if he'll be around after his rookie deal.

-

If Carolina, Houston, and Indianapolis had the opportunity to draft Williams, Daniels, and Maye they would have.

And if Chicago, Washington, and New England were drafting in 2023, they would have drafted Young, Stroud, and Richardson.

o


I wonder which team that Bo Nix is rooting for in today's AFC Championship game between the Broncos and the Patriots ???

He's probably rooting for the Broncos.



THREAD: ) http://www.coltfreaks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=207703

o

Fake Maye is really really bad.

And the Pats kicker is no Vinatieri.

New England is still gonna win because of Stidham but they’re gonna get creamed in the superbowl.

o


The 4 biggest reasons why the Patriots won was because they gave a touchdown to the Patriots by fumbling the ball over on their 6-yardlone (7 points), they passed up a chip-shot field goal by going for it on 4th down from the Patriots' 15-yardline (3 points), and because they missed 2 field goal attempts (6 points.)

Outside of the fumble that gave the Patriots' their only TD, Jarrett Stidham played well before it started snowing heavily in the 2nd half ....... I think that the Broncos' biggest regrets in losing this game was the bad decision by the head coach and the missed field goal attempts by their kicker more so than their missing Bo Nix.

o

Yep, the Cheats are so freaking lucky. On top of getting to play a backup QB in the AFCCG they get a gift wrapped TD, stupid decision by the apposing coach, and a blizard hit as soon as they take a miniscule 3 point lead that prevents either team from putting together a drive or being able to kick a FG.

Also, the MFers didn't cover, which caused me to lost my bet (mad).

I really, really, really, really hope this happens.

I will typically root for the AFC....but not if they are the Cheats.