When Will the New England Patriots Learn?

I have been a Patriots fan all my life, but with the way this season has gone, it is hard to be one. I mean, in the first game Tom Brady, last year's NFL MVP goes down then we are told he is out for the year.

I have watched New England this year intently, seeing where their strengths and weaknesses lie. Their strength is their receiving game, but the Pats can't seem to get it going lately. It doesn't help that they have Matt Cassel under center, who is a far cry from Tom Brady.

You would think he would be better; after all, he went to USC and backed up Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and now Tom Brady. It was great that he got his chance, but he isn't getting it done; when will New England learn that he is not the next Tom Brady?

Sure, Brady came in and did well in the place of Drew Bledsoe, but he was a special kind of talent. Matt Cassel is not that guy. I am sorry that you don't see it that way, Bill Belichick. It is just stating the obvious.

I mean, you could have traded for a proven veteran, like a Jeff Garcia or something, but instead you keep trying to say everything is alright and New England couldn't be better.

You also have an aging defense, if you haven't noticed. Those slow guys can't tackle a guy like Reggie Bush or Devin Hester. Not even with a 10-second head start. That is slow by my standards.

Belichick likes to have sets, as we all know, but we can all tell he has no plan to keep this team going. They may have a winning record right now, but they are far cry from being the best team in the league, as they were last year.

And nobody has left other than Tom Brady, meaning that they still have that almost-undefeated team they had last year, minus one player. With Brady out the Pats are nothing? Come on Belichick, I thought you were one of the best coaches of all time.

If Belichick can't do it no one can. I have an idea: Why don't you get a better QB? That may help your legacy, Bill, not to mention the Patriots' season. That is what you're concerned about, right? The Patriots, not yourself?

See, I think the reason New England isn't doing well is not because of the team; it's because of the hard-headed coach. He has been dubbed the best coach in the NFL for years with the Patriots, and now that he has a hard time without his superstar QB he is acting like he is still the best.

He is refusing to add any pieces to the puzzle and he is trying to make a bridge out of pudding. You need concrete, Coach, and even though you don't want to admit it, you need help, and you just missed your chance with the trade deadline passing.

You can add to your team, Coach. Add a proven QB, add some depth on defense, and play those guys. It couldn't hurt worse than it is hurting now. Trust me; the best teams always have depth. It happens in college and in the NFL. Take a lesson, Coach.

Even if you do somehow manage to get in the playoffs, you will just go one-and-done—we all see it coming—and it all falls on you, Bill Belichick. So when will New England learn?

What do you think is wrong with the Patriots?