Bill Belichick is Telling the Truth About the New England Patriots, Says Former Team Leader Scott Pioli | NFL News

The New England Patriots jump into Monday Night Football against the New York Jets with a four-game losing streak and find themselves in third place at AFC East, with Cam Newton looking to strike back after three games without making a touchdown pass

Former Patriots VP of Player Staff Scott Pioli pointed to New England’s struggles in 2020 as a natural consequence of the team’s resounding success over the past five years.

The Patriots enter Monday night’s clash with the New York Jets 2-5 winless, third in AFC East and with four straight losses in the worst start to the season since 2000.

Speaking in his weekly radio slot WEEI On Monday, manager Bill Belichick cited salary cap problems as a reason for the team’s current situation, though he stressed that he is not using it as an excuse.

“We paid Cam Newton $ 1 million, of course we didn’t have any money,” Belichick said. “It’s nobody’s fault, that’s what we’ve been doing in the last five years, we sold out and won three Super Bowls, played in a quarter and played in an AFC championship game. This year we had less to work on,” it’s not an excuse it’s just a fact. “

Pioli had worked alongside Belichick in Cleveland before heading to New England shortly after Belichick’s appointment as head coach in 2000.

The five-time NFL Executive of the Year, who was involved in the editorial team of Tom Brady in 199th place overall, is as familiar as Belichick’s philosophies as anyone else, having won three Super Bowls during his eight years with the organization.

“I don’t see it as an excuse on Bill’s part, it just isn’t what it is,” Pioli said Sky Sports. “I think he was asked a question and given an honest answer.

“It made me think back to the time I was with Bill in Cleveland, when he cut Bernie Kozar. Bill told the world the truth as he saw it at the time and was impressed for it, but the reality was that he was telling the truth and everyone. they knew it.

“Bernie’s abilities had diminished. Now he’s telling the truth about what the situation is right now.”

According to Spotrac, the Patriots currently have an eighth more than $ 26.5 million in dead money, with Brady’s departure after 20 years representing $ 13.5 million. Tagging franchise left guard Joe Thuney also means his $ 14.781 million tag value counts towards this year’s limit.

Meanwhile, the largest number of eight league patriots have given up on the 2020 season amid coronavirus pandemic concerns, including key veterans defending Dont’a Hightower and Patrick Chung, as well as 2019 starting mates in the attack. offensive Marcus Cannon and Matt LaCosse.

In addition to Brady, the team also lost expert defensive figureheads like Kyle Van Noy, Jamies Collins and Danny Shelton during free agency, while their draft picks have yet to make a significant impact.

The highest number the Patriots have ranked in terms of cash spending in the NFL since 2016 is 12th, while the lowest is 32nd. They haven’t spent particularly well, but that may change at the end of the season as Belichick tries to work his way through a rebuild.

“The facts are that they did some things from a salary cap point of view where they ran and did three Super Bocce in five years,” Pioli continued.

“You look at it in that snapshot, and once again people try very often to be critical of Bill, I look around the league at all the teams that have done it silently where they sold players and gave away capital to the draft and money to make a Super Bowl run, and they don’t even get there or come close and lose.

“I watch teams like the Dallas Cowboys, the Los Angeles Rams, the Houston Texans … they’ve given away a huge capital to make a one-year run and they end up with nothing. At least the Patriots ended up with a couple of championship rings. “.

An attack led by Cam Newton showed promise from the start when attacking coordinator Josh McDaniels redesigned a pattern based on Brady’s strengths to the athleticism of the former Carolina Panthers quarterback.

Zone reading and quarterback design runs became an unsurprising theme, while sophomore catcher N’Keal Harry seemed to emerge as a useful target for Newton.

Initial encouragement has since waned, with Newton going three games without a touchdown pass from the remaining time due to the contraction of COVID-19.

“I think it has been very poor so far,” admitted Pioli. “It started well, the last two weeks have gone badly, so take the body of the work and it has been average, Cam admits.

“The Patriots needed a quarterback, they had to do something. People too fast want to put players in the rankings or it’s great or it stinks and the truth is most of the players are in the middle and have good weeks and bad weeks.

“I think it was a really smart move that the Patriots made at the time (signing Newton). But now the tires are meeting in a street where people are picking up what the Patriots are maybe doing with Cam as the quarterback.

“Now they just have to make sure they run and do the things offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels needs to accentuate the positives and limit the limits with Cam.”

Sky Sports NFL is your dedicated channel for NFL coverage throughout the season – with an array of NFL Network programs, a new weekly preview schedule, and at least five games a week and NFL Redzone, you won’t miss a moment. Don’t forget to follow us at skysports.com/nfl, our Twitter account @SkySportsNFL & Sky Sports – on the go!