Belichick Vows There Will Be Sweeping Changes in New England. Just Not This Week.
When Bill Belichick gets to the frustration level where he's tossing phones like a robovoice said, "Your call is important to us. Please wait on the line while and one of our representatives ..." for the 25th time - and it was the best throw anyone on the Patriots payroll made all night - you know changes are coming. Dramatic changes. Radical changes. The sort of course correction where no one will be spared unless they are part of the solution. Feelings and loyalty be damned, the sewers of One Patriots Place are about to run red with the blood of anyone who's not prepared to pay any price, make any sacrifice necessary, and do whatever is asked of him over the next few months. And his players know it.
Belichick said as much on his weekly WEEI appearance:
“There are a lot of circumstances that went into this year’s team, this year’s roster and so forth. And I would say there are a lot of things that will be different next year relative to this year. …
“(Our evaluation is) not limited to any one position or one person. It’s every player on the practice squad, all the players on the roster, players that are on injured reserve, ultimately the opt-out players if they decide to opt back in, if you will. Internally, that whole evaluation process is one that we’ll do very thoroughly.
“And then there’s obviously an external evaluation that we’ll deal with, as well, whether that’s draft, trades, free agent signings or what have you. But the internal part will start immediately. It’s already started. We do it constantly. But we’ll do it more thoroughly and comprehensively once all the information’s in and go from there.”
Just on an emotional level, I need to know that he is vowing with blood in his eyes that a season like this will never happen again. After Patton was relieved of command in disgrace for slapping a soldier while the war in Europe raged on without him, he took that humiliation and came back a better commander than he'd ever been before. Later Gen. Omar Bradley said that soldier did more to win the war than any private in the army. Hearing that "a lot of things" will be different is almost exactly what we needed to hear.
I say "almost" because while he's promising change, the one kind of change he's not committing to is the immediate kind.
Asked about this week's game, he went on to pretty much say he's sticking with the plan for 2020. Adding that "if we're playing, we're going to compete." Meaning that, if you were hoping this would be the first start for Jarrett Stidham, you'd better hope again.
Bill Belichick was asked if Newton will be the starting quarterback.
“I would imagine, but hey we’re going through that now," he responded. "We’ll see.” …
Belichick was asked what he thought Newton did well in the game.
“I thought he did what we asked him to do," he said.
Second-year player Jarrett Stidham replaced Newton and many have been calling for him to start, including this coming week. With that being said, given the all the factors in play, it could be argued the team wouldn't learn anything it already knows by starting Stidham against the Jets.
“I think there would be some truth to that," Belichick said.
Later on, the coach added: “At some point he will get an opportunity to play with a good opportunity to prepare and play, and that will be a better evaluation. Whatever point that is, I don’t know.”
It wouldn't be my choice. Newton may have done all the things they asked of him in practice and all season long and ever since they signed him. But not on the field. Not by a damned sight. Certainly not lately. In three of his last five games he's had fewer than 85 passing yards, a passer rating below 87.5 and in that time has one touchdown pass. He's been pulled for Stidham three times in 14 starts.
Sunday is the rarest of opportunities for this franchise. A meaningless game. (Yes, I know Monday night's was too. Quit interrupting me.) A chance to see what the younger, less experienced guys can do. Not just Stidham, but everyone on the bench who's barely seen the field. It's almost a gift. A gift you didn't want. The pink bunny suit from your aunt who thinks your five years old and a girl of football games. But I would think a useful tool for seeing what your backup QB could do with something he's never experienced: a full week of prep and game plan specifically installed for him. But Belichick disagrees and thinks it would essentially be a pointless exercise. So I'll defer to the gentleman with the 31 career playoff wins and a boat called fucking VIII Rings.
As for next year's changes and how they'll manifest themselves, I think we'll know later, rather than sooner. He also talked about the uncertainties of the new league year, not knowing what the salary cap will be or what his players who opted out plan to do. And how basically every team is in "a holding pattern" right now.
All we do know for sure is that in a league where half the teams are over the cap and will have to jettison valuable cargo, as it stands his team has the 6th most space for 2021. And the smartest man in the history of the league in charge. Who also happens to be hyper-motivated and stands ready to ruthlessly make drastic changes without pity or remorse. I'd still rather see the backup quarterback this Sunday. But in the grand scheme of things, it's not a big deal.