First, let it be known that the Steelers secured the final wildcard spot in the AFC with only 10 wins, while in the NFC the Packers only needed nine wins. So if the Patriots had won six of those one score losses, they could've easily been a playoff team, even if it lead to getting blown out again.
On the morning of March 26th, at the annual owners meeting, Kraft said,
“My hope and expectations are to make the playoffs, that’s something realistically – we have a new leadership team, we’re going to have a lot of young players we don’t know. A lot can happen. We might struggle more than I want. But the good news when you’re running any business is, you try to figure out what the key variables are, and then try to put people in place that you think can react and adapt to what has to happen. I really feel we have a good young team. I just hope we don’t struggle. But in the end, everything is chit chat until you get on the field. Xs and Os are where it’s at."
Kraft is basically saying nothing that they say matters, the only thing that matters is the results on the field.
Kraft continued, "Look, for me personally, after my family, the most important thing in my life is winning football games with the Patriots. I try to do whatever I can in the background to try to make that happen. I say that to our fans and believe we’re going in the right direction. We’ve gone through a tough three or four years. But at the same time, we’re privileged to have the greatest coach in the 100-year history of the game who did amazing things. Combined with the quarterback we had for two decades, it’s a pretty high standard. But we’re happy we were able to put the pieces in place that allowed that to happen and flourish. Now we have to get back so we’re competing at a range hopefully in a similar position."
Kraft just admitted again to meddling behind the scenes and also slapped Bledsoe in the face by saying he's only had high quarterback play for two decades. It was Bledsoe who turned the franchise around and made it a place Belichick and Brady could turn into a dynasty. Do not sleep on the 1996 afc champion and superbowl losing Patriots as many were part of the Patriots first championship team.
Kraft said, "We know we have to be patient. Everything is new. I think we have 20 new coaches. Just to be able to integrate them into a system. I think Jerod has terrific people skills. I think Eliot (Wolf) and Matt (Groh) have really good knowledge of our product and what has to be done. I’ve told them, ‘Look, I don’t want to do splashy things just to get attention and get good headlines one day. I want us to do the things that are substantive and good for the short term and long term."
So Mayo and the office said they were going to 'burn some cash,' Kraft is implying that he may have been behind them not spending cash as maybe the office and Mayo may have wanted.
Kraft goes on, "This will be my 31st season, we’ve never been drafting in the third position. I hope it’ll be similar. I think back to coming in as an owner in ’94 and we were drafting fourth and we got my fifth son, Willie McGinest, and he really kicked some butt and helped bring a certain attitude to the team. We made the playoffs that first year, but who knows? We have a chance to get really good personnel in this draft. Another small thing, a position we’ve never been in, after the draft, people cut players when they fulfil their needs. Some very good players sometimes. We’ve never really been in a good claiming position of number three."
Even though Kraft mentioned meddling in spending, it sounded like he expected more external free agents to get signed. It also sounds like someone had to tell him about the cut down periods that happen post draft before the regular season kick off. Kraft often talks about being a fan but by now his knowledge of the NFL off-season should be better than the average person's.
Kraft would say, "A lot of little things that can happen and also, the way our coaching, there’s a new feeling in the coaching staff. Everyone is contributing, but in the end, what the bottom line is, how do we do gameday? Wins and losses."
Kraft says what he basically implied earlier in his statement. He said more but this says that Kraft understands that the team could be a wildcard team but acts like he doesn't understand the off-season process. If it's not an act, Kraft does not belong making decisions for the team outside hiring a coach and general manager. Kraft is taking backlash this season and his comments from the owners meeting open the door for many attacks on many fronts but his belief that the team could be a playoff (wildcard) team shouldn't be one of them.
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