The Patriots Think The Bucs Will Win The NFC South?
August 19th, 2024
Todd Bowles
Great nugget via FS1 on Friday.
During an NFL roundtable chat on First Things First, Nick Wright noted (and quoted) how Patriots insider Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston reported that the Patriots traded former stud edge rusher Matthew Judon to Atlanta for a 2025 third-round draft pick but turned down the same offer from the Bears.
So Wright logically concluded the Patriots’ front office believed the Falcons would have a worse record than the Bears this season.
It’s a fun thought. The Bears have a bunch of talent but a lot of it is young and the team is in transition with a rookie quarterback. Maybe their ceiling is nine wins in the NFC North, Joe believes.
So what does that say about the Falcons?
The Judon trade tells Joe the big shots in New England think the Bucs will win the NFC South instead of the Falcons, unlike former NFL head coach Eric Mangini and ex-Packers Pro Bowl receiver Greg Jennings.
As panelists alongside Wright, Mangini and Jennings said they believe the Falcons will win the NFC South, snapping the Bucs’ streak of three consecutive division titles.
August 19th, 2024 at 11:45 am
I put a ben on it….will net me 420 🙂
August 19th, 2024 at 11:46 am
Albert Breer tweeted out that the Patriots let Judon pick between the two since they both sent similar offers… interesting
August 19th, 2024 at 12:00 pm
I’m not sure I’m buying it. The Falcons have a MUCH better shot at winning the South than the Bears do the North, & it’s just not even close. If true then I don’t know WHAT TH is going on in New England these days. The Bears have a better roster than ATL, but NOT a better chance at winning the DIVISION. They might be banking on Playoffs chances instead.. Now, I’d buy that.
August 19th, 2024 at 12:05 pm
Go Bucs
August 19th, 2024 at 12:19 pm
If healthy (same as everyone else), the Saints could be a PROBLEM. Every season there is always, at least one team who comes from nowhere, completely under the radar, who didn’t make the Playoffs the season before, that NO ONE is talking about… They won 9-games last season just barely missing-out in year-1 with Carr & I was surprised to see last night, that they had BOTH, a TOP-10 Scoring Defense AND Scoring Offense. Just Sayin. Don’t be inking in ‘2-Wins’ there, just yet.
August 19th, 2024 at 12:23 pm
Absent huge injuries, I’d bet money on the Bucs winning it again
August 19th, 2024 at 12:27 pm
The SOUTH could surprise some people this season… There’s also, a Division that does every year. And, I really, liked how their Offense looked last night (Saints) at San Fran… It looked GOOD. Just play calling, tempo, everything, really!!!! They’re gonna be tough for us.
August 19th, 2024 at 1:20 pm
Mangini is a bum. Never played the game and Belichek hired him as a coffee boy and gopher who would perform any task for him. Thanks to Tom Brady he was able to build a career in the NFL. Once he struck out on his own with the Jets, he crashed and burned in a short period of time.
August 19th, 2024 at 2:08 pm
I also heard that they let Judon pick, so safe to say they are just happy with a 3rd, did their guy a favor on the way out and draft seeding will fall where it will fall.
I don’t love how active the Falcons have been. Pretty good squad if they stay healthy. I think the Bucs can be better and it’s gonna come down to coaching/game planning.
August 19th, 2024 at 2:26 pm
Booger, I think the point was not who wins their division but who would have the worst record which would get the Pats a higher draft pick. In this case they figured the Bears would have a better record so they sent him to Atlanta.
August 19th, 2024 at 2:33 pm
I can’t believe they let Judon pick since a draft position would be at risk. The Bears have been pretty bad lately but they did get a lot of talent the past two or three years including a potential high quality QB. We’ll see.
August 19th, 2024 at 2:37 pm
One word dooms the Bears.
Eberflus.
Makes Bowels look like Jon Harbaugh.
August 19th, 2024 at 3:34 pm
That’s what I said, “imfomeplease.” I said I’d buy the Bears earning a Playoff berth over the Falcons (hence, a better record), but did NOT buy them having a better shot at winning their Division (the headline of the article), & “Division Winners” are going to have better odds of picking later (just as the Bucs did this past season), due to having a home Playoffs game. Though, it’s irrelevant regardless, since it sounds-like, they gave HIM the choice on where HE wanted to go!!!! My preliminary preseason predictions have had 3-TEAMS going to the Playoffs from the North, with only the Vikings being left out.
August 19th, 2024 at 7:07 pm
Judon didn’t even suit up for the Patriots’ first PS game against Carolina. Probably becuae they had a trade deal in the works and didn’t want to risk and injury, but I find it strange that they’d part with unquestionably their best player (on either side of the ball) and a true team leader like him. It’s a real head-scratcher. Judon is right there with Maxx Crosby as far as being a disruptor on D.
All I can imagine is he’s seen enough of what’s been an empty shell of a once great franchise that’s going nowhere fast and asked for a trade. Unless he has an underlying health or injury issue, it seems odd.
As for who the Patriots think will win the NFC South or any other NFC division being a factor…why? Last I checked, NE is in the AFC so any team outside of their division or conference makes sense, regardless.
My question is… if Judon could be had so cheaply (3rd round pick) did the Bucs look into trading for him or was his current salary too much to bear? Having that beast replacing the retired Shaq would have been sweet.
August 19th, 2024 at 10:45 pm
Judon was so dominant last year the Pats won 4 games 🥱
August 20th, 2024 at 1:02 am
Please —. True!
He must have hated it. Meanwhile Pats figure the Falcons 3rd is almost a 2nd because they know a team in organizational disarray when they see one.
Raheehaw.
Carolina might end up with a better record.