In a matter of days the Patriots have lost two key pieces to their recent success: Josh McDaniels taking over in Denver, and Scott Pioli taking the GM post in Kansas City.
I'm not really worried about McDaniels. Though I think he did a great job running this offense this season (and seems to be very good with QBs), I don't think the offense will be much worse without him, especially if Belichick takes over the play-calling duties. And really, do you think an offense with Tom Brady and Randy Moss really needs that talented an offensive coordinator? I could probably call the plays and the Pats would be in the top 5 offensively.
But Pioli? It scares me to death. It's impossible to know with the Patriots where the lines are and where Belichick's influence begins and ends. But by all reports, Pioli was integral to the awesome personnel success the Patriots have had over the past 8 years. I know Bill Simmons and others have been critical with the Patriots most recent drafts, but come on. You can't win every time in the gamble know as the draft, and certainly Pioli has proven himself the Chris Farley to Matt Millen's Jimmy Fallon. (I don't think that analogy makes much sense, but ever sense that idiot played 'the ultimate Sox fan', I make fun of him every chance I get. Equating him to Matt Millen is about as the worst sports insult you can make right now.)
Of course, I was the same guy who was really worried when Romeo and Charlie left. And though we haven't won a Super Bowl without them, we had a perfect season and have been very good since they left. And let's just say that the Cleveland Browns and probably Notre Dame woud like a mulligan on those hires.
So here's hoping Belicheck was making most of the personnel decisions over the past decade and we don't skip a beat. And let's hope Kansas City doesn't get too good too quickly.
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