I'm referring to the Cole/Westbrook situation. The two guys were doing excellent to close the season when Hurns and Lee went down. Then for whatever reason, their playing time was cut beginning I believe the 49er game. In the playoffs Lee and Hurns got most of the snaps, Cole was completely absent.

I think back to the year MJD was holding out and Jennings was on fire all training camp and then preseason. He was ready to have a big year. What happened? First regular season game MJD was reinserted and it crushed Jennings confidence! They tried to give him relief snaps for MJD but he never ran the same and was cut or traded.

Athletes depend on their confidence a lot. Anyone who has participated in sports know what I'm referring too. Plus it throws off the moral in the locker room (though many won't admit it) when a guy has been putting in the work, earned playing time, and then the starting position is just handed back to the expected Starter. I could feel the energy the team gave off in the MJD/Jennings situation. Some guys in that locker room weren't happy at all how that was handled.

Last snap of the NE playoff game was a pass attempt to Westbrook who mentally wasn't there because the coaching staff chose to reinsert Lee and Hurns for the playoffs.

Just a area I think the coaching staff needs to pay more attention too.

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