FOXBORO — The Patriots are coping with inside points. Based on feedback made following Thursday evening’s loss to the Bills, there’s an absence of buy-in with the offense.
And it’s not only one participant. It’s quarterback Mac Jones, who had an outburst in the course of the sport, in addition to a number of different gamers within the locker room, particularly broad receiver Kendrick Bourne, who questioned the scheme and what was occurring on third down.
So now what?
The Patriots are teetering on the sting with a Monday evening sport in Arizona on faucet. They’re a borderline playoff crew. Either it’s going to be a large number the remainder of the way in which, with a clubhouse in turmoil over the offense, or Belichick will one way or the other proper the ship.
Former Patriots offensive line coach and prime Belichick assistant Dante Scarnecchia, who has been via just a few of those rodeos, supplied just a few pearls of knowledge. His expectation was that the coaches and gamers would get collectively and air out grievances, deal with the problems, and transfer on.
“This is just one guy’s personal opinion. I’m not projecting anything, or saying anybody’s right, or anybody’s wrong, or anything like that,” Scarnecchia mentioned when reached Monday, “but I would say I think issues, especially anything of that nature, needs to be addressed. It needs to be talked about, and talked about outright.”
Scarnecchia is a agency believer that good can come from battle. He discovered that from former Patriots head coach Bill Parcells.
“If I don’t meet your expectations as a coach, and I’m not doing everything that’s necessary to be successful, then you have a right to be in conflict with me. As I do you if you don’t meet my expectations. So conflict’s not bad,” mentioned Scarnecchia. “It’s uncomfortable. But sometimes the truth is necessary, as long as you’re willing to stare it down and do all the things necessary to improve, then that’s what it’s all about.”
By the sound of it, Belichick and the gamers have addressed the elephant within the room in some trend.
On WEEI Monday, Jones sounded just like the web page had turned, saying it was vital to have these powerful conversations with the teaching employees.
“It’s everybody being accountable. That’s the definition of tough coaching – it’s hard conversions,” Jones mentioned. “If one thing could haven’t gotten proper with a participant, ‘hey, you did this wrong.’ As a participant, it’s ‘ok, how can I fix it?’ I feel our coaches have completed that and we have now to lock into that and ‘alright, what’s the issue and the way can I remedy it?’
“We understand it’s us the player. We have to trust the coaches, which we are,” he went on. “They put a lot of hard work into it. That’s what we have to do. It’s a player’s game. We want to come together and play together.”
With no modifications on the rapid horizon by way of play calling and scheme, it’s the one manner the crew can transfer on. Knowing how Belichick runs his ship, Scarnecchia believes this too shall go.
“You have to keep everything in perspective. You can’t overreact. But you can’t sit there and say ‘well it’s going to get better tomorrow’,” mentioned Scarnecchia. “You have to do everything you can to make sure that you’re taking all the steps to get it right today. Discussion is always helpful.”
As Scarnecchia recalled, that at all times labored when Tom Brady misplaced his thoughts on the sideline. Brady definitely had just a few blowups over time, most notably with coordinators Bill O’Brien and Josh McDaniels.
That didn’t essentially derail the crew within the aftermath. The Patriots at all times appeared to recuperate.
With the additional time to organize for Arizona, that ought to assist the trigger. Losing to Buffalo within the method they did merely triggered all of the angst the gamers have with the offense, and the performs being referred to as.
Scarnecchia, nonetheless, believes they’ll get previous it.
“They have a big game coming up, Monday night, so that’s the whole focus. That’s the game they got to point to, and the game they gotta win,” Scarnecchia mentioned. “Look, in the event that they go there and play the way in which they wish to play, and the outcomes are the way in which they need them to be, issues look a hell of lots totally different. And that’s OK.
“I just think you just don’t lose your mind over it. You strive like hell every day to do things better, and hopefully, it’ll manifest itself the next time they play. Then, it becomes a different place.”
Asked if Bourne crossed a line by airing his views publicly, Scarnecchia chalked it as much as frustration, though he would have most popular the broad receiver maintain his ideas in-house.
“After a very tough loss, a hugely disappointing loss, and the inability to get things done in the red zone, and third down, and all that, things blow up. We’re all human,” mentioned Scarnecchia. “You would hope he would bottle it up, and address it to the position coach or even to the coordinator in another setting that’s not so public.”
That mentioned, Scarnecchia at all times wished gamers to supply their views. If they questioned one thing, it was vital to supply the solutions.
“When a player would come up to me and say, ‘why are we doing this, or why are we doing that?’ — those are honest questions that deserve an honest answer. I would suspect those things have been answered (this week) honestly.”
Ultimately, Scarnecchia has religion that Belichick will restore order, and get the crew again. They have a troublesome remaining schedule, however are nonetheless within the playoff combine.
“There’s no one better suited to get this team going back to the way he wants to see them play than Bill,” mentioned Scarnecchia. “We’ve been in powerful conditions. They’ve been in powerful conditions earlier than and have discovered methods to rally out of them.
“They’ve got great leadership from the head coach all through the roster and especially the leaders they have on the team … I think it’s a shared situation, because it’s a team. Not one person can do it, not one coach can do it. They all have to do it together, and hopefully, that’s what they’re striving for, and hopefully, that’s what’ll happen.”
Captain David Andrews conveyed that very message Tuesday throughout his media session.
“I think everyone’s committed to try and turn it around and make it go the right way,” he mentioned. “That’s all we can do. That’s what we’re going to try to do.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com
