New England Patriots commentary: In Bill we trust(ed)

Bill Belichick’s decision not to play cornerback Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII is a move that does not sit well with current and former New England Patriots players as well as fans.

In Bill we trust…no longer. Yes, this is going to be one of those overreaction articles that won’t age well. But, following a 41-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII –a game in which the great Tom Brady threw for 505 yards and three touchdowns – New England Patriots fans need a target.

With how the defense performed, who else can we point the finger at other than Bill Belichick.

Let me preface this by recognizing the hoodie as the greatest coach in modern day sports. As Patriots fans, we are lucky to have him. His stern approach to the game and heartless roster management has frustrated us at times. But, at the end, the coach who rarely smiles ends up being right.

We’ve seen the story over and over again. Lawyer Malloy, Logan Mankins, Richard Seymour, Wes Welker and Jamie Collins are a few names that come to mind when it comes to head-scratching moves made by Belichick.

With them all came the same old response of doing what’s best for the team. As fans, we’ve gotten over those decision because they have always worked out. A man with a resume of 5 championships in 8 Super Bowl appearances is hard not to trust. But, what if his stubbornness and arrogance got in the way of a sixth Lombardi Trophy?

On Malcolm Butler

So, let’s go there, let’s discuss the Malcolm Butler situation.

In playing just one special teams play, the player responsible for sealing one of Belichick’s Super Bowl victories stood on the sidelines with his helmet on ready to go in and make a play on defense. As the clock continued to click and the Eagles continued to move the ball at will, it became obvious an adjustment was needed. Most importantly, it was apparent a personnel adjustment was needed.

Still, Butler remained on the sidelines. He remained standing there when Johnson Bademosi failed to wrap up a tackle on a crucial third down play. He stood there as Eric Rowe took wrong angles on short passing plays. He stood there while Jordan Richards proved over and over again that his Stanford IQ does not translate to NFL level ability.

A missed opportunity

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In all folks, the New England Patriots still had an opportunity to win that game. Because they loss, however, it is hard not to second guess what would’ve happened if Malcolm Butler was in there instead of Bademosi. He may not have missed that tackle. What if Malcolm Butler was in there instead of Eric Rowe. Perhaps Alshon Jeffery wouldn’t have caught that first touchdown pass from Nick Foles.

Let’s be fair though. If Butler was in the game maybe other big plays would’ve been made. For what was labeled as a football decision by both Bill Belichick and former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia apparently comes down to just that.

While rumors have surfaced (and been refuted by Butler) that he violated minor team rules, the team’s lack of trust in Butler’s play appear to be behind the decision. If that is the case, it is hard not to look at Bill Belichick and finally say “what were you thinking?” It may turn out that his football decision was a good one, but it is very hard to see that being the case watching the Philadelphia Eagles celebrating their first Super Bowl victory in the streets of a city starved for a trophy.

Next: New England Patriots needed Malcolm Butler more than Belichick’s ego

It is hard, because many of us feel Malcolm Butler could’ve made that one defensive play Brandon Graham made when he stripped the ball from Tom Brady. In an offensive shootout, we stood by out trust in Bill. This time, the end result does not favor the great defensive mind of Mr. Belichick.

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