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The Bill Belichick Show

By W. James Antle, III on 2.6.10 @ 4:05PM

On the eve of Super Bowl Sunday, the New England Patriots announced they would not be hiring a defensive coordinator to replace Dean Pees. Instead, NFL.com reported, coach Bill Belichick will be playing a larger role in the team's defense.

This strikes me as a step in exactly the wrong direction. Already, the Patriots are operating without an offensive coordinator, with Belichick and quarterbacks coach Bill O'Brien handling those duties after Josh McDaniel left for the Denver Broncos. The play-calling was predictable and anemic, resulting in second-half collapses as teams adjusted to the Patriots at halftime. To be sure, there were other problems -- the lack of a reliable third threat at wide receiver, quarterback Tom Brady was still recovering from injury, and a defense that could not get off the field when it needed to. But the mediocre 2009 season suggested that some new ideas might be needed.

It's not clear that New England has the personnel for the Belichick-designed defensive scheme they have in place. There is no pass rush even against middling quarterbacks. The new defensive coach, who is coming in without the defensive coordinator title, did not exactly light the world on fire at Notre Dame. Generally, I've been a proponent of "In Bill we trust." But at this point, I think Belichick needs a coaching staff that will challenge his preconceived notions and help shake things up.

Brady and Peyton Manning were the two best quarterbacks of the past decade. Manning will be playing in the Super Bowl tomorrow, facing off the most dynamic QB of the past season, Drew Brees. Belichick and Brady will be watching the game from home. If that doesn't give them incentive to contemplate some changes, I don't know what will.

View all comments (8) | Leave a comment

GoColts| 2.6.10 @ 5:26PM

I hope Bill continues to take more of the responsibility in hand.. then and only then will people realize what phony he really is.

PATS - 3 Rings And Counting| 2.8.10 @ 8:38AM

Hey I missed the game last night. How'd it go for you guys?

Hahaha

John - TMF| 2.6.10 @ 5:54PM

Total collapse of the Boston Cheatriots couldn't happen fast enough for my tastes...

The team should have been sanctioned, sold off, and moved somewhere else after being stripped of all of its titles...

Self-destruction is good enough, for a substitute however.

-TMF

Pete| 2.6.10 @ 6:09PM

Amen, John. They deserve nothing. I will spare everyone a political comparison, but there is one to be made. The northeast media (ESPN) won't even mention the tainted nature of the Cheatriots' success. I will remain ever thankful to the Giants for preventing what would have been the worst fraud in league history a few seasons ago. Some 3-5 games won by refs, scores run up and stats padded on purpose in shameless, arrogant fashion. It was revolting...but oh so satisfying in the end.

I am torn on tomorrow's game. I normally like to see the better team win, and that is the Colts. I hold no ill will towards Peyton (even though like most QBs, he can be turned into below average QB with a few hard hits) as I think he is the best that has ever played the position. But...it would be great for the Saints to get one, and a Colts loss would effectively hand my Steelers team of the decade honors.

belichick is a god| 2.8.10 @ 9:46AM

The Steelers team of the decade talk lasted all of about three weeks this season. Your own coach said the following 3 days ago; "I think the decade still has to go to New England. But the Pittsburgh Steelers went to a lot of championship games, won two Super Bowls... Listen, there's people stealing signals all the time before that. You have ways to hide those things. We had wristbands for our defense. I still have a hard time believing that was a difference in a game."

Pete| 2.8.10 @ 10:38AM

Tomlin wasn't even the coach during the tainted era so what would he have to gain by pointing out the obvious? (he shouldn't have a job anymore anyhow after this year anyhow, but I digress).

If you say it over and over again, you might start to believe it. "We did not cheat. We did not cheat."
"I did not have sex with that woman." Good luck.