Patriots cut Chris Harper after muffed punt

[curtisj]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000591750/article/patriots-cut-chris-harper-following-muffed-punt

Pretty harsh considering the conditions

[broncolassiter]

Talk about unforgiving! Tell Belichick to try and catch a ball of ice falling from the sky.

[the0rangecrush]

Such is life in the NFL. If you're an undrafted rookie without a defined role, your margin of error is that slim.

[Rancid]

This move made Belichick look ruthless.

[db4l303]

I listened to this story on the radio, Belichick's 'Do Your Job' idea is more serious than originally thought. If you fill in for a starter and don't fulfill your role, you're handing in your playbook. That's why the Patriots are so good at winning, because if anyone makes a mistake, they'll find someone better to play for them. That's how Bill Belichick has coached. Next man up sort of thing. Tough, but it definitely makes people fight harder.

Just remember - the Patriots cut many draft picks if the young players can't learn and then do what they're asked. That's how it works.

[the0rangecrush]

I listened to this story on the radio, Belichick's 'Do Your Job' idea is more serious than originally thought. If you fill in for a starter and don't fulfill your role, you're handing in your playbook. That's why the Patriots are so good at winning, because if anyone makes a mistake, they'll find someone better to play for them. That's how Bill Belichick has coached. Next man up sort of thing. Tough, but it definitely makes people fight harder.

Just remember - the Patriots cut many draft picks if the young players can't learn and then do what they're asked. That's how it works.

Yet in crunch time it was Denver's young players that guided them to a win, and the fault of young players that cost NE theirs.

[#24 Next Champ]

I always have honestly respect Pats but how Belicheck acted during that press conference. And this move particularly...make me really question that.

I get taking him off punts and maybe even cutting him in the next couple weeks if he doesn't play well at WR...But this was pretty messed up imo

[FR Tim]

Why is this a surprise to anyone? He has done this repeatedly over the years.

How many times has a storyline been how a Pats player having a good game turns out to be someone that has bounced back and forth several times from the roster to the streets and back again. I would not be surprised to see Harper re-signed in the next couple weeks. For all we know he might be starting on Sunday.

This way of doing business is part of the reason I feel the "poor Pats" stories from the Pats is way overblown by the media. Belichick uses the players like disposable napkins for a reason. To find the best match-up for any particular week. He may be loyal to his core group but the other half of the team are pawns to be played and sacrificed on a whim.

All the stories of the multiple players or the quality of certain positions is all part of his and the Pats plans. They choose to run their team that way. They get little sympathy for not having stability or "having to start a guy that was out of the League".

[Hadez]

This is not the first guy who has been cut after a mistake.

Snapper who performs a bad snap, OL who commit a key penalty, DB who make a mistake in coverage, returners to fumble a ball, kickers who miss a kick....

these are just the ones I have herd about

I am sure there are a lot more cuts based on a coaches or GMs perception of failure to do a job

Between the job security, the constant secrunity of how well people do their jobs and interviews I would say most fans have no clue what a player, coach and exec in football go through, how thick their skin needs to be and how tough they need to be mentally.

It is why I laugh at how some people think a player should get offended at something said or suggested on these boards.

It reminds me of how in my high school some topics were off limits and would provoke fights but within a few months of getting out of high school the real life taught me those are childish notions not fit for the hard real world.

Football players and execs...their world is even harder but they get paid better than most to deal with it

[GiddyupGetEm]

You bet your butt Belichick will cut a CFA at league minimum. Harper was a replaceable JAG. I bet most of the Patriots players blame Harper as well. They always need a goat up there.

[Hadez]

You bet your butt Belichick will cut a CFA at league minimum. Harper was a replaceable JAG. I bet most of the Patriots players blame Harper as well. They always need a goat up there.

If CJ gets more than 4 carries in the 3rd and 4th qtr we do not even need that mistake to win the game imo. My goal would have been to get CJ 10 touches in the 2nd half if I was on that staff.

our coaching mistake opened the door for them in the first place

[Rastic]

If CJ gets more than 4 carries in the 3rd and 4th qtr we do not even need that mistake to win the game imo. My goal would have been to get CJ 10 touches in the 2nd half if I was on that staff.

our coaching mistake opened the door for them in the first place

You could be correct, but it's hindsight speculation.

With how well the defense played in the second half, basically shutting down the Pats*, they might have decided to score if and when the opportunity presented itself and let Wade and the D do their thing to hold on.

[JerseyAdam]

he is replaceable and made an example of him. fuel for the fire.

[FrostySeamus]

Scapegoated. Sucks for him. I think the team needed someone to point the finger at, take the blame.

[haciendadad]

You bet your butt Belichick will cut a CFA at league minimum. Harper was a replaceable JAG. I bet most of the Patriots players blame Harper as well. They always need a goat up there.

An interview with Tom Brady where he literally says he is pisted! that they lost that game and they were pisted the next day, they were all mad on the flight home. How do you think it felt for that guy to hear all the grumblings all the way home.