McDaniel said guys like Tua are the reason he got into coaching. 700 plays. There's also a high profile example on the team of someone who overcame multiple concussions and is thriving. I'm not a fan of outlier examples but let's face it they are popular and easy to find and cite.
Given that combo of variables I don't understand the widespread insistence that there will be massive changes including Tua retiring. Those quarterback numbers in all the key categories are massive positives. The organization and player will be aware of that, even if the public per norm is too busy reacting to the last thing it saw.
I just can't see it becoming...well, we had fun for 6 games. That's all we were looking for anyway.
I was a huge supporter of drafting Tua. Then immediately in 2020 he looked physically overmatched by the league. I'm not letting go of that impression. Tua has to utilize plays and schemes that camouflage his limitations. Fake a quick pitch, fully spin around, then quick dart over the middle. Stuff like that all game long. Swagger plays. If the quick slant is not there throw it anyway. You're far better off seizing what you want than allowing the play to extend. I always cringe when it turns into a standard looking play with Tua deep in the pocket.
You know how a team looks when it is confident, like our 4th quarter at Baltimore? It has to be that mindset all game long. We've started a couple of recent Patriot games that way. Somehow a few weeks ago we turned into a standard looking offense with all these waffling midrange throws. Andrew Luck had trouble with that. He got picked off all the time on that type of throw, after thriving on similar in college.
That story is written but Tua still has time to be featured in an offense that doesn't allow the negative expectancies. I already mentioned that I shouted, "What the hell was that?" after our asinine 3rd down midrange sideline throw to Hill on the first drive. From that point I expected a defeat. It was already a very difficult scheduling spot and now the game plan was loaded with crap. I'm unconvinced that the crap designs wouldn't have resulted in mistakes, even if Tua had been fully healthy and cognizant.
I believe we'll make the playoffs. All those stats about teams being 156-1 and stuff like that with a 14+ point lead in the 4th quarter, those stats exist because of extensive margin for error. Those teams with the lead were choking plenty of times. But the margin enabled them to choke. Then they woke up just in time. There were fundamental reasons they were good enough to build the 14 point lead. Those qualities are revived just in time, to fend off the infamous choke.
I eventually figured that out in Las Vegas. If my basketball team with a 25 point lead was trying to give everything away and not cover the 7 point spread, I relaxed and thought to myself...just one little 4-0 run in our favor, and we're good. That's the beauty of building that 25 point lead.
Last year we tried it the other way. I basically paid no attention down the stretch. I know darn well a team with that type of record isn't going to run the table. This season we're far more legitimate and dangerous. It amazes me there was greater optimism this time last year.
Oh yeah, the offseason will be focused on helmeting and otherwise protecting Tua from further concussions, instead of all that nonsense about vastly improved arm strength.
