1995 Patriots- What went wrong?

[CSKreager]

Sandwiched in between their 1994 playoff year and 1996 SB appearance, Parcells' 95 Patriots were a massive dissapointment.

They were a trendy AFC SB pick to reach Tempe. Won their first game in the dying seconds over Cleveland (who had their own 1995 dissapointment but in a different way), then they went into an offensive funk- no touchdowns after week 1 until October. Drew Bledsoe coming off the heroics of did not throw his first TD pass until October 15. By the time they started figuring things out, they had 1 win in late October.

They swept the Bills, won at Miami, almost won at Pittsburgh. And yet they lost at home to the Saints and Panthers.

They did a lot right the year before and did a lot more right the next year (heck it was their only non-playoff season in a 5 year stretch if you include Carroll's 97-98 years)

[7DnBrnc53]

The defense wasn't great in 1994, but they finished 12th in points allowed and 18th in total yards. The next year, they dropped to 25th in points and 28th in yards allowed.

One reason for this may have been turnover on the DL. In 1994, they had 12-year vet Mike Pitts and former Cardinal Mike Jones at DE* with Tim Goad at NT. Pitts and Goad were dependable veterans, and Jones had six sacks that year. The next year, Pitts retired, Goad went to Cleveland, and Jones only started three games. They were starting guys like Ferric Collons, Troy Barnett, Tim Roberts, and Reggie White (no, not that Reggie White) up front.

This youth movement on the DL spread to other positions. By the end of the year, they had three starting LB's under 25 (McGinest, Slade, and rookie Ted Johnson) along with rookie Ty Law starting seven games at CB. There are going to be some growing pains.

In addition, Bledsoe lost two of his three best WR's from the year before. Michael Timpson (74 catches in 94) went to Chicago, and promising young Ray Crittenden was out of football until 1997, then out permanently after that.

* In 1991, the Jets wanted to trade from the 34th pick to the 32nd pick (which was owned by the Cardinals) so they could get Brett Favre. The trade almost happened, but then vanished because the Cards wanted Mike Jones (who they could have had two picks later. No wonder why teams suck forever).

[Bryan]

Drew Bledsoe led the league in pass attempts while having the worst passer efficiency rating of any starting QB.

[sheajets]

The defense wasn't great in 1994, but they finished 12th in points allowed and 18th in total yards. The next year, they dropped to 25th in points and 28th in yards allowed.

One reason for this may have been turnover on the DL. In 1994, they had 12-year vet Mike Pitts and former Cardinal Mike Jones at DE* with Tim Goad at NT. Pitts and Goad were dependable veterans, and Jones had six sacks that year. The next year, Pitts retired, Goad went to Cleveland, and Jones only started three games. They were starting guys like Ferric Collons, Troy Barnett, Tim Roberts, and Reggie White (no, not that Reggie White) up front.

This youth movement on the DL spread to other positions. By the end of the year, they had three starting LB's under 25 (McGinest, Slade, and rookie Ted Johnson) along with rookie Ty Law starting seven games at CB. There are going to be some growing pains.

In addition, Bledsoe lost two of his three best WR's from the year before. Michael Timpson (74 catches in 94) went to Chicago, and promising young Ray Crittenden was out of football until 1997, then out permanently after that.

* In 1991, the Jets wanted to trade from the 34th pick to the 32nd pick (which was owned by the Cardinals) so they could get Brett Favre. The trade almost happened, but then vanished because the Cards wanted Mike Jones (who they could have had two picks later. No wonder why teams suck forever).

A young immature gunslinger Favre in NY with the Jets could've been a spectacular success or an abysmal failure where he'd have to go elsewhere to realize his potential. He ended up in Green Bay with Holmgren, Sherm Lewis, Mariucci, Gruden...absolutely perfect. He would be here with Bruce Coslet who wasn't the worst coach I've seen but I'm not convinced early 20s Favre in this pressure cooker would be enough to overcome all the Jets organizational shortcomings

[7DnBrnc53]

A young immature gunslinger Favre in NY with the Jets could've been a spectacular success or an abysmal failure where he'd have to go elsewhere to realize his potential. He ended up in Green Bay with Holmgren, Sherm Lewis, Mariucci, Gruden...absolutely perfect. He would be here with Bruce Coslet who wasn't the worst coach I've seen but I'm not convinced early 20s Favre in this pressure cooker would be enough to overcome all the Jets organizational shortcomings

Here's the thing about Favre: He didn't feel like he fit in with the 1991 "Too Legit to Quit" Falcons. Glanville didn't want him, and he didn't feel like anyone else cared, either. Knowing that, it makes me wonder: Were his rookie year drinking binges the result of self-pity?

If it was (and, I tend to think that), maybe he does better in a somewhat more professional environment (yes, I agree that Coslet wasn't great, and it's the Jets, but it had to be more professional than that clown show in Atlanta).

[Brian wolf]

Good take, but I believe unless Favre started in NY--and Wolf might have let him--he would have been out drinking anyway.
Brett wasnt ready for big cities like Atlanta and NY, even for college, Big Irv wanted Brett close bye at Southern Miss to keep him focused. It worked. Had Brett been drafted and started for Coslet, maybe Wolf stays in NY but once he went to GB, he wanted his QB. Would Jet doctors have passed his physical, would Wolf had ordered them too like in GB?

[7DnBrnc53]

Good take, but I believe unless Favre started in NY--and Wolf might have let him--he would have been out drinking anyway.
Brett wasnt ready for big cities like Atlanta and NY, even for college, Big Irv wanted Brett close bye at Southern Miss to keep him focused. It worked. Had Brett been drafted and started for Coslet, maybe Wolf stays in NY but once he went to GB, he wanted his QB. Would Jet doctors have passed his physical, would Wolf had ordered them too like in GB?

With the 1991 Jets, Steinberg was the director of player personnel, and Todd Haley's dad was the general manager. I think Wolf was subordinate to those two. He didn't get full control until he left that November for Green Bay.

[Brian wolf]

Thats right, thanks for clearing that up 7D ... Wolf probably blamed those two for not finding away to get Favre sooner. Here is my question ... say Brett got drafted but couldnt pass his physical in NY, how the hell did he pass it in Atlanta? Did his hip reinjure before he failed his physical in GB? Could he have passed the physical in NY like Atlanta?