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2009 New England Patriots Post-Mortem

Ray Lewis and company mercifully ended the most frustrating season of the Brady/Belichick era. During just this one season I saw:

The most brain-dead coaching decision: Going for it on 4th down in Indy.
The second worst regular season mismatch: @New Orleans (The Indy beating in Foxborough from 2005 was worse IMHO.)
The most pathetic playoff showing: Yesterday against the Ravens.

So how did we get here? Where the team not only looks unprepared (Hello, #52 is Ray Lewis - you might want to block him.), but even worse indifferent? Coaching defections and poor free agency moves did not help, but mostly because of bad drafting.

Since the last Super Bowl victory in February 2005, the defense has slowly erroded to a steaming pile of dung while the offense has morphed into what we hated most - the Colts. A stats happy offense that wants to pass twice as much as they run and just like the Colts, that leads to huge regular win totals and early playoffs exits.

The best player taken since 2005 - Logan Mankins (Round 1, Pick 32, 2005). The problem is he is a guard. That reminds me of the pre-Brady days when the Pats best player in franchise history was John Hannah. Yes, Hannah was a tremendous player, but when your best player is an interior offensive lineman, you probably aren't winning too many Super Bowls.

Who are the playmakers?

Don't you dare say Brandon Merriweather (Round 1, Pick 24, 2007). He is the Brett Favre of safeties. For every big play he makes - he blows two coverages, misses a tackle, takes a bad angle, and draws a penalty. He is fundamentally unsound. He is a liability not an asset. Brandom Merriweather is the most overrated player in the NFL.

(Note: Merriweather was standing right at the hole when Ray Rice burst through the line on the Ravens first play. He was right there, in perfect position. It was clearly his job to defend that gap. Belichick put him in the right spot. Instead? Eh, he is frozen solid and watches Rice run past him then turns in futile pursuit. That is not an elite player people. Don't believe the national media lies.)

Jerod Mayo (Round 1, Pick 10, 2008)? Mayo was a star last season, but I swear I had to check the stats to make sure he played this year. Does anyone remember him making a big play? A big hit, a tackle-for-loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a pick - anything? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Me neither. Guys like McGinest, Brushci and Vrabel those things all the time. Mayo might be more like Ted Johnson - just a good tackler - who was a perfect fit, but only when he was surrounded by guys McGinest, Bruschi and Vrabel.

Ugh. Laurence Maroney (Round 1, Pick 21, 2006). I just threw up in a little mouth. Maroney is now the Julio Lugo of the Patriots. I cringe everytime he touches the ball and rue the day they ever brought him here. His problem is obvious. The pro game is too fast for him. He does not see the holes fast enough. He gets caught in the backfield far too often. Do not be surprised if he does not come back next year.

The Patriots used to be able to draft guys who fit the system and coach them up. That is how they won despite an absurd number of injuries in 2003 and 2004. How do we get back there from here? Better drafting is baby step #1.