Did Billicheat come clean?

[Favpack]

Maybe he's honest Bill now. He had no clue how to defense the direct snap to Brown and the lowly Dolphins destroy the Pats. I guess Sorano really knows how to run a closed practice. :eek:

[Maroondog]

I think the Pats are done this year. I know its early, but they look old and slow on defense and with no Brady, the offense in the stinker.
How long before Moss starts his griping?

Also, have to agree that Billicheat didn't look too brilliant at coaching something he didn't have the signals for.:D

[tayb]

He looked pretty good all last year when he didn't have the signals.

[Matthew 2000 Eagle]

Hell, even Pennington picked them apart when he DID play QB. We went 17-20, and had around 220 yards passing with no interceptions. Ricky carried 16 times and had 98 yards. Oh, and did anybody else notice Ricky hustling downfield to throw a block on a Patriots player during Ronnie's last touchdown run?:notworthy If he keeps this up, he maybe the comeback player of the year.

[Maroondog]

He looked pretty good all last year when he didn't have the signals.
Then why was the team and Bellicheat fined by the league and lose a draft pick for illegal filming of their opponents?

[tayb]

[/B][/B]
Then why was the team and Bellicheat fined by the league and lose a draft pick for illegal filming of their opponents?

First off, they were caught during the first half of week 1 and the tapes were confiscated before half time. There was no competitive edge to be gained (more on that later) during the Jets game and they still whooped them.

Second, they were fined after week 1 and there is no way in hell they tried recording opposing signals from the sideline again that season. Without the "help" of recording signals they still managed to absolutely pummel every team on their regular season schedule.

Third, how exactly does recording signals from the sideline help you win THAT football game, especially in the playoffs? You can't analyze enough data during half time to change your game plan and make your team more effective. The tapes were used to study for future reference which in the playoffs means absolutely nothing.

Fourth, the rules on videotaping are stupid and don't curb cheating in any way. I can sit some men behind the opposing bench to decipher sideline cues, I can plant men with binoculars in the booth to write down every thing they see and compare that with the end-zone cam, I can have a dozen guys on my sideline who can read lips and let me know exactly what is being said across the field,

Stealing and deciphering signals is allowed by the NFL and to quote Roger Goodell, "I’m not sure that there is a coach in the league that doesn’t expect that their signals are being intercepted by opposing teams." ... you just can't use a camera.

[Maroondog]

If your argument is valid, then why was there such a scandal and why is is it illegal to do this in the NFL?

There has also been evidence to suggest this was not the Pats first rodeo at taping team signals. If it can't help, why do it?

Don't know about you, but if I know what formations and defensive schemes you will be in, I will be able to run plays to burn you.

[tayb]

If your argument is valid, then why was there such a scandal and why is is it illegal to do this in the NFL?

There has also been evidence to suggest this was not the Pats first rodeo at taping team signals. If it can't help, why do it?

Don't know about you, but if I know what formations and defensive schemes you will be in, I will be able to run plays to burn you.

...but if they stopped doing it in 2007 how do you explain the dominating regular season? If it really helped them so much and they were the only team out there doing it how did they go 16-0 AFTER they were caught?

[mojoguy]

After getting caught with their hands in the cookie jar during week 1 of last season, I would be shocked if the Pats weren't the cleanest team in the NFL now. Other teams were definitely doing the same types of things, but their records were probably disposed of properly when that happened as well. Stealing signals seems like it's dirty to outsiders, but it is a common part of the game. If you aren't videotaping it, you have a codebreaker on the sidelines. This is one reason you see three or four guys signaling in the offensive plays on any given sideline. The Dolphins got their points running the Wild Hog garbage that had not yet been seen by the NFL really. I wouldn't expect it to torch teams forever, but the first time a team sees it, it's probably going to work. I would bet money that the Pats will find a way to make it into the playoffs and probably at least into the AFC Championship game. It will take time, but they are scrappy and will find a way to make their games turn into 17-13 affairs the way it was before 2007.