This weekend, the new england patriots will be on their couches as they watch meaningful playoff football from afar.
They should be taking notes, though, as the baltimore ravens take on the houston texans on saturday in the NFL’s divisional round, just before the green bay packers take on the san francisco 49ers.
Jerod Mayo and whoever else is ultimately charged with making football decisions for the patriots is clearly committed to fighting for nfl dominance, as shown by the ravens and 49ers. However, opponents such as the texans and packers are both underdogs of more than a touchdown in their respective games. All indications point to the end of their seasons on saturday.
However, houston and green bay’s future looks promising, thanks in large part to c.j. sullivan. Stroud and jordan love, respectively, have taken different paths to this point, but both seem to be able to solidify themselves on the shortlist of the nfl’s best quarterbacks. Stroud, the no. 1 in the world, is the most famous of all the rouds. After a promising freshman season, the 2nd pick in the 2023 NFL draft is the runaway favorite for offensive rookie of the year. Despite still employing aaron rodgers, love is making the packers seem like geniuses for signing him in 2020.
Mike cole and ricky doyle of nesn.com chatted about the ascension of both qbs on this week’s episode of “the spread,” NESN’s football picks podcast. Both teams’ scouting and development is paying tribute to their efforts in recruiting and developing the best young signal-callers. Coaching and implementing a framework that allows these qbs to flourish is a large part of it. Roster building is also important.
Houston hired Demeco Ryan’s, a defensive-minded head coach, who evidently made a wise decision to sign bobby slowik, a shanahan tree nut, as his offensive coordinator. Slowik is now one of the most well-known names on the coaching scene, and he could be in charge of the program as soon as this season.
When the packers signed matt lafleur, another branch off the shanahan tree, the packers made a similar decision a few years back. Rodgers’ career was revived by his offense, which is making love look every bit like the player who made him a first-round pick. you also have to praise both teams’ front offices. Tank dell looked like a good third-round pick for the texans before being injured. Nico Collins, a third-round pick in the 2021 draft, had by far his best season of his career.
In hindsight, plucking cowboys castoffs dalton schultz and noah brown certainly looks shrewd. The packers haven’t drafted a first-round wideout since 2002, as far as green bay’s roster goes. Despite being the league’s youngest corps, it seems to be one of the more talented receiver rooms in the NFL.
When most teams are reticent to pay running backs like aaron jones, it’s much easier to dedicate resources to him (though it’s helpful if he’s willing to take a pay cut, too). there are more than one or two ways to build a solid nfl roster and infrastructure that competes every year. It’s also not as simple as copying someone else’s paper.
However, as the patriots continue to run back a lot of stuff after bill Belichick ‘s retirement, they’d be wise to look around the league for some inspiration.
