And typically the other players step up because those other teams drafted well. Which is what we've missed, and what everyone glosses over when crying about our cap woes.
We use the same tactics everyone uses. Maybe moreso because Jerry doesn't mind paying more money. But we've drafted terribly. Which is why you see our failings alot of times come down to role players and lack of depth.
The Patriots and Steelers refuse to pay market value to their star players and have declined as a result. It's masked a bit because Brady pummels the perennially awful AFC East, but the Steelers have only won a single game this year without Mike Wallace or James Harrison.
Both you are spot on about the draft as both of those teams have failed to draft well in recent years. The Patriots 2010 draft, with a million picks in one of the strongest draft classes ever, has been unlucky with Hernandez ending up cut and Gronk injury prone.
Dallas pays too much and NE and Pitt pay too little. There needs to be a happy medium. How does New Orleans do it?