For all of the apologists, go watch the tapes. I’ve seen more than one occasion live where Mac is just oblivious. I’ve watched Parker run across the middle with 3 steps on the DB and Mac wait to throw so late the DB caught up. I’ve seen deep passes to receivers that beat their man lobbed up so softly that the DB catches up. I’ve seen him lock on to one covered receiver while another is wide open, and then opt to turtle and wait for the outside pressure to come before it was ever a threat and when he could have even easily slid to the right in the pocket. I’ve seen him panic to ghost pressure and just throw absolutely terrible balls directly to the defense. I’ve seen him drop back and never try to slide up into the pocket and even go further back while the outside rush runs around the tackle. This kid is playing some of the worst QB I’ve ever seen. He is the anti-Brady, cannot overcome any adversity.
Not only was it a spectacular run that had the best QB and best coach of all time. But Bill instituted an organizational system that brought winning teams together in a variety of ways, maintaining winning with such turnover for so long is incredible. Different players, coaches, scouts, personnel directors. And he did this while losing 3, THREE, first round draft picks and having a low pick virtually every year. Belichick’s ability to build a defense and Brady’s ability to win with virtually any offense will never be seen again and neither of them are going to 9 SB in 20 years without the other.