'Patriot Act' Or Not, Texans Fans Must Let Caserio Cook
HOUSTON - This isn't like any other Patriots hire before.
What the Houston Texans just did was to line up the best chance any franchise has ever had at borrowing the New England Patriots' blueprint to build their own greatness.
Bill Belichick had a 19-year run unmatched in the record books of football. He won six Super Bowls, coached in three more, and won fewer than 10 games once.
Nick Caserio was there for every step.
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As Caserio takes over as the fifth general manager in franchise history, succeeding yet another failed ex-Patriots experiment in Bill O'Brien, he's unique ... despite the appearance of the same-old-same.
Nobody who left the comfort of Belichick's greatness has ever had the knowledge of his ways like Caserio. Every coach, coordinator, executive, and scout left without the length of proximity to greatness possessed by the new shot-caller of the Texans.
To use an analogy, as my mother is a baker, follow along. Belichick is the greatest "baker'' in league history. Romeo Crennel may have known the ingredients, but he did not know the temperatures. Matt Patricia could ice the cake, but it didn't taste good. Bill O'Brien didn't respect the instruments used to create truly tasty success.
Meanwhile, Nick Caserio has been in the kitchen the whole time.
He knows the recipes, the ingredients, and the equipment. The only thing left is ... to bake up a championship.
He has the toughest thing already figured out. So many general managers struggle with the search for a quarterback or a commitment to the wrong one. Deshaun Watson is already in Houston and he's for sure the right passer.
Now, New England isn't perfect.
The drafting has been subpar for years in New England. They spent this season in Cap Hell. Long-shots stopped paying off after years of lucky additions. There are serious concerns about the issues that ended the dynasty ... and Caserio was part of the few downs as well as the many ups.
Surely with years of evidence, from both failed coaches and executives alike, Caserio will be aware of the potholes. "The Patriot Way'' cannot be exactly replicated ... and shouldn't be, because it hasn't really worked anywhere, long-term, outside of Boston.
My mother, the baker, has never left out an ingredient in a recipe. In fact, she'll share her recipes with you. But you will find one problem, as I have: Reading a recipe on paper doesn't make me a baker. I've had to watch her. Learn from her.
There's stuff the recipe won't tell you and she doesn't know to tell you. It can only come from doing.
Caserio has been watching. He's seen the tricks. Experienced the process, the whole process. He knows what Belichick put in to get out the success.
Baking is tedious. It is hard. Unforgiving when you make a mistake. Too much here or too little there, it is ruined. It has to be perfect. Guesswork is can be disastrous. Luck is necessary. ... which sounds a lot like building a championship.
Nick Caserio has more experience as Baker Belichick's apprentice than any one. In fairness, Texans Nation should give him some room and let Caserio cook.
