With the LA and NO losses, does the “all in” trend continue?

[Tbe]

LA and NO have no cap space and few draft picks. Odds are, they’ve killed their chances for success next season. Maybe beyond.

Do you think teams will see this as a cautionary tale against betting the farm for an SB run or no?

[Dunn]

Every year we say this about NO...and time and time again they still are able to sign people etc. and compete.  So for them I do say this trend will continue, why not, its been successful for them the past 2 years. 

[KillerKat]

Salary Cap is an illusion. Well run organizations find their way around it every year.

[Panthercougar68]

The saints found like 9 staters in the 2016 and 17 draft. That’s why finally turned it around after 3 years of 7-9. The free agent thing for them is over used on here.

And they keep kicking that Brees contract down the road. The cap is real and the chickens have to come home to roost at some point.

[d-dave]

I think that LA in young enough by in large to still be competitive.  But those one year deals are going to be problematic if they hope to resign some of those guys.

I think you have to have a balance between smart FAs, Good drafting, and good scheming with these players.  The Pats win because they are able to rely on their GOAT QB, and their scheme allows them to maximize their player strengths like no other team in the NFL (oh and cheating too).

You have to be smart when you sign a FA.  We see year after year how teams make splash signings that don't workout.  

[CardiacCat]

27 minutes ago, d-dave said:

I think that LA in young enough by in large to still be competitive.  But those one year deals are going to be problematic if they hope to resign some of those guys.

I think you have to have a balance between smart FAs, Good drafting, and good scheming with these players.  The Pats win because they are able to rely on their GOAT QB, and their scheme allows them to maximize their player strengths like no other team in the NFL (oh and cheating too).

You have to be smart when you sign a FA.  We see year after year how teams make splash signings that don't workout.  

... and a bunch of other players... yesterday's MVP and Gronk to name a few...

[luke nukem]

It seems irrelevant when you see that the pats have 6 picks in the first 3 rounds....and 12 overall.....and with a few cuts and restructures will have over 50 million in Cap space....

[NeederNodder]

I hope it continues since teams can get stagnant and complacent about mediocrity with the "maybe next season" mindset and the trend also ensures in some great football as well. If your gonna go out then go out with a bang.

[SCO96]

I honestly think the Rams could have won that game if it weren't for the mid season injury to Cooper Cupp and the late season injury to Gurley. If these guys were healthy and had started the Superbowl the Pats couldnt have played the same scheme. It's hard to stop both wideouts and a good slot receiver and a upper echelon tailback Eddlemon tore up the Rams yesterday, and the Rams still held them to 13 point by  basically shutting down the NE wideouts.

Even without Cupp, an effective running game with Gurley could have almost guaranteed a victory. The Rams lost this game because they were out coached, not because they were less talented. Can someone tell me one adjustment McVay made in the 2nd half? I didn't see one. 

[Seoul_Panther]

It’s funny after all the praise McVay has got this season that he looked so clueless in the SB.

 As far as the rams go, I’m not convinced by Goff-he maybe above average but that’s about it. Whitworth may retire and they lose a few guys in FA. All this brave talk promising a quick return to the SB? We will see.

 To the OPs question though-will teams go all in. The success of NO and LA this season would seem to vindicate it. They only narrowly failed.

 Perhaps the lesson here is not how they got there but to take the opportunity, because you never know year to year if it will come again any time soon.

[4Corners]

36 minutes ago, NeederNodder said:

I hope it continues since teams can get stagnant and complacent about mediocrity with the "maybe next season" mindset and the trend also ensures in some great football as well. If your gonna go out then go out with a bang.

U just described the Panthers 

[Growl]

1 hour ago, KillerKat said:

Salary Cap is an illusion. Well run organizations find their way around it every year.

so irritating that people are lining up to butt pat you for this

[SCO96]

9 minutes ago, Seoul_Panther said:

It’s funny after all the praise McVay has got this season that he looked so clueless in the SB.

 As far as the rams go, I’m not convinced by Goff-he maybe above average but that’s about it. Whitworth may retire and they lose a few guys in FA. All this brave talk promising a quick return to the SB? We will see.

 To the OPs question though-will teams go all in. The success of NO and LA this season would seem to vindicate it. They only narrowly failed.

 Perhaps the lesson here is not how they got there but to take the opportunity, because you never know year to year if it will come again any time soon.

You just made my point. I didn't see any adjustments in the 2nd half. Belichik is known for taking away what you do best. The Rams thrive off of their running game to set up big plays down field on play action passes. Gurley is clearly hurt. I knew early in that game that he wouldn't be a factor. McVay needed to adapt his offense to the flow of the game. He didn't. 

The Pats came after Goff all night long. I don't recall seeing one designed screen pass to a running back all night long. If you take away Gurley's one catch for -1 yards, Goff only completed passes to 4 guys last night, and none to a TE. Belichik lives to take away what you do best. Going into the game I would have had plays designed to free up the TE or slot guy knowing that Cooks and Woods would be getting special attention all night.

Goffs a mobile guy, they could have tried to create a moving pocket to counter the pass rush.

Does anyone remember seeing any draw plays? I didn't.

The receivers were bunched up all last night. He should have spread them out more to created better spacing. That may have also opened up more running room for Gurley or Anderson.

How about going to a no huddle offense.

Move Woods or Cooks to the slot instead of on the edge to get a better matchup. If the Pats had moved Gilmore inside then you have a chance to go outside against a weaker CB.

Belichik had his guys play strong gap control to take away the Rams cutback runs. Why not just man up on the LOS and call some dives, traps, off tackle runs or counter plays to diversify the running game.

I'm not saying any this would have guaranteed a win, but at least the Pats would have had to adjust on defense. On a lot of those plays last night every receiver was covered. It looked as if NE knew exactly what they were running before the ball was snapped.