Desire or Desperation?

Dan Wolken came out with an article today calling out the Patriots as desperate for their acquistions of Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth.  He makes some fair points, but I think calling the Patriots, and specifically Bill Belichick, as desperate is a bit over the top.  I will be up front and admit that I am a huge Patriots fan and definitely subscribe to the notion of "In Bill We Trust."  That being said I think I can make a logical argument against Wolken and not just spew out homerism.

I want to begin with an argument that I have heard elsewhere but is also included in Wolken's piece.  I agree completely with the fact that if the Raiders had made these moves instead of the Patriots they would have faced much more ridicule, but isn't that fair?  The Patriots track record in terms of personnel moves is far and away better than the Raiders.  The Patriots also have a history of bringing in questionable veterans (Corey Dillon, Randy Moss) and having them succeed in their system.  Their success, both on the field and in the front office, is why people aren't laughing at them.

Wolken also speaks as if Haynesworth and Ochocinco are make-or-break pieces to the Patriots's season.  I don't believe that to be the case.  The "no playoff wins in 3 years" argument is completely fair, but remember that this team went 14-2 last season in what was thought to be a rebuilding, or transition, year.  The core of this team is already in place, and even without these moves they would have been favorites to contend in the AFC.  Haynesworth and Ochocinco are pieces that could put them over the top but don't hurt them if they don't pan out. 

In arguing Haynesworth and Ochocinco as make-or-break to this team, Wolken brings up Dillon and Moss and says that they were not make-or-break players for the 2004 and 2007 teams, respectively.

Corey Dillon came in and gave the offense a dimension they had not had prior to 2004.  He ran for nearly 1,700 yards and was key to the ball control that kept Peyton Manning sitting on the sideline in the Divisional Playoff game that year.  It's true that they were defending champions and probably favorites heading into that season, but looking back on 2004 I don't believe the Patriots would have won that Super Bowl.

Moss, on the other hand, also was integral to the 2007 team because he made a very good offense an historic one.  Wolken's argument is that Moss didn't lead the team in catches or yards (the yards argument is incorrect; he led the team that year with 1,493 yards, slightly more than 300 yards ahead of Wes Welker).  Welker led the team in catches that season but a lot of that had to do with Moss opening things up for him underneath.  Also, in case anyone has forgotten, Brady threw an NFL record 50 touchdown passes that season, almost half of which were to Moss (an NFL record 23). 

Call me crazy, but both of them seemed pretty integral to their teams.  I don't foresee Haynesworth or Ochocinco having anything close to that kind of impact, but I also don't think it's necessary for them to have that kind of impact for the Patriots to be successful.

Bill Belichick is also compared to Mike Shanahan at the the end of his Denver run by Wolken.  He speaks of Shanahan giving Daryl Gardener big money as well as taking a flier on Simeon Rice.  These moves are different though because I don't see much risk on the Patriots' end.  They gave up two fifth round picks and a sixth round pick.  Also, both players are restructuring their deals so the financial hit shouldn't be too big if they don't work out.

I also don't buy the notion that Belichick's ego plays a role in these moves.  Wolken argues that Belichick thinks he can turn around any career.  I see it more as Belichick seeing guys who wore out a welcome elsewhere and determining that they still have the ability to be contributors in a new environment.  He can come off as arrogant, I get that, but I believe he makes moves solely because he thinks they can make the team better, not to prove himself as some master motivator.

Haynesworth is more of a risk than Ochocinco in my opinion.  He is further removed from his previous success than Ochocinco is.  Ochocinco put up above average numbers in a pretty bad offense the past couple of seasons.  Surrounded by Brady, Welker, Branch, Gronkowski, and Hernandez I can see him being very successful.  I do think Haynesworth has the potential to have a bigger impact though.  If he can regain his old form he would be the best defensive lineman on the team, and possibly in the AFC.  He would also bring a nastiness back that has been missing since Rodney Harrison and Richard Seymour left.

I think Dan Wolken brings up some fair points, and Belichick does risk looking foolish if they both flame out, but Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco could also be pieces that put a team coming off of a 14 win season, with an emerging core of young players and the best quarterback in the game, over the top.

Dan calls it desperation, but I see it as a desire by Belichick to get back to where this team was.  This team measures itself by Super Bowl championships and they haven't lived up to that standard in recent years.  Call it desperation, call it desire, call it whatever you want, but Belichick is trying to put his team in the best position to get back to the top and I can live with that.

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