Patriots All Decade Team:

QB: Tom Brady

Honorable Mention: Drew Bledsoe, Matt Cassel

It was the easiest selection on the list. The day Drew Bledsoe was knocked out of a game in 2001, was the day Tom Brady emerged as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He is a three time Super Bowl Champion, (two time MVP), regular season MVP on a team that went undefeated in the regular season, owns the single season touchdown record and still seems to get better each season. He is a two time Sporting News Sportsman of the year, a four time Pro Bowl selection and was a first team all pro selection in 2007. He is the MVP of the last decade for New England and hopefully he can have the same success next decade.

RB: Kevin Faulk

Honorable Mention: Antowain Smith, Corey Dillon, Laurence Maroney

The hardest selection. There is one thing Smith, Dillon and Maroney have in common, they were all backed up by Faulk. Since 1999, Faulk has played in Foxboro and has been a favorite target of Brady. He has over 7,000 all purpose yards and has been on all three Super Bowl Winning teams. Fun fact: He has the most rushing yards for a back that has never had a 100 yard game.

WR (2): Randy Moss, Troy Brown

Honorable Mention: Deion Branch, Wes Welker

If there was one thing New England was never in short supply of, it was wide receivers. Jabar Gaffney, Terry Glenn, Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, David Givens, Super Bowl XXXIX MVP Deion Branch were some of the men who went deep this decade. Still, there are two guys who stand above. Since coming to the Patriots, Randy Moss has been the best wide receiver in football. In his first season in New England, he set the NFL record with 23 touchdown receptions. Even without Brady, Moss hooked up with Matt Cassel for more than 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns.

It’s hard to think there was a more important receiver for the Patriots then Moss, but that’s what Troy Brown was. Sure, he only had 6,366 career receiving yards and was only a Pro Bowler once, in 2001, but he meant more to New England then just about anyone. His 557 receptions are best in New England history, but it was his versatility that will be remembered. In 2004, with the secondary hurting, Brown played defensive back and even finished second on the team in interceptions. He was a member of the Patriots 50th Anniversary team, so there should be no argument that he’s on this list.

TE: Daniel Graham

Honorable Mention: Benjamin Watson

Sure, Christina Fauria could have been on this list, but it was Graham that was the starter for two of New England three Super Bowls. Between 2003 and 2004, Graham totaled 775 yards and became a target on third downs. During his final season, he was named a team captain. Ben Watson might have usurped Graham’s role when he left for Denver, but Watson’s role in helping the Patriots win Super Bowls gives him the edge.

Offensive Line:
OT: Matt Light, Nick Kazur;
OG: Stephen Neal, Logan Mankins;
C: Dan Koppen

Honorable Mentions: Tom Ashworth, Joe Andruzzi, Damien Woody

New England has had some great offensive linemen, but the men who started during the 2007 stand out the most. They were the anchors for an offense that set the NFL record for points scored. They made sure Brady was standing enough to break the NFL touchdown record and allowed for Laurence Maroney to rush for 835 yards, even though he missed the first three games. Koppen, Light and Mankins all made the pro bowl that year. They might have been the best offensive line of the decade and continue to push their defensive counterparts around.

DT: Vince Wilfork

Honorable Mention: Ted Washington (imagine if he was here for more then one season!)

Since coming to the Patriots in 2004, Wilfork has been the man. In the middle of the defensive line, he has amassed 303 tackles and seven and a half sacks. However, it’s his presence that matters most. Wilfork demands a double team and allows defensive ends to beat single coverage. His only pro bowl selection came in 2007, the undefeated season. As a rookie, he started Super Bowl XXXIX, the only person drafted that season to be in the lineup.

DE: Richard Seymour, Jarvis Green

Honorable Mention: Ty Warren

It’s a toss up between Warren and Green. They have had similar production and complement each other as defensive linemen. However, Green will get the nod due to starting Super Bowl XXXIX, remember he beat out Warren who started the regular season games. With Seymour, it was an easier choice. Seymour is regarded as one of the best defensive linemen in the league. He was a five time Pro Bowl selection in New England and won three Super Bowls. He is also a three time All-Pro selection and five time All-AFC selection. Seeing him traded to Oakland was hard for may fans, but he should always be remembered as one of the greatest Patriots.

LB (3): Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest, Mike Vrabel

Honorable Mention: Ted Johnson, Jerod Mayo

Mayo will be the future, but Bruschi, McGinest and Vrabel were the studs in the 2000′s. Mike Vrabel was a duel threat, he did have ten catches for ten touchdowns, but will be remembered mainly as a linebacker. He had a knack for getting to quarterbacks with 56 sacks and 11 interceptions. Vrabel was also a linebacker on the Patriots 50th Anniversary team. McGinest was a sack machine. His 78 are third best in team history and has the all-time postseason record with 16 and most in one game with four and a half. The lasting memory for McGinest should be the goal line stand against the Colts, where after stopping Indianapolis at the one, McGinest ran down the length of the field in celebration.

With all respect to Vrabel and McGinest, it was Bruschi that embodied the Patriots spirit. He has played on five Super Bowl teams, including the three wins this decade. He was a two time Pro Bowl selection and consistently played all out to make sure New England was the top dog. Even a stroke couldn’t keep him down, as he returned the next season and received the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. He was named the only defensive captain on the Patriots 50th Anniversary team and will easily be the MVP on this list. There was no one more respected in New England then Bruschi. No doubt about it.

CB (2): Asante Sameul, Ty Law

Honorable Mention: Otis Smith

Samuel scared quarterbacks straight during his time in New England. After earning the starting job in 2004, Samuel became an interception machine. His best season was 2006 where he was tied for the league best with 10 interceptions, it is second in New England history. That season, he also set a team record with three interceptions against the Bears. Still, before Samuel there was the Law. Ty Law was a physical back who went to four pro bowls while in New England. He scored the first points for New England against the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI after returning an interception for a touchdown. It is even believed that the illegal contact penalty was made because of Law’s physical play. Although that can be debated, he was the leader of a defense that was best in the league for opponents points per game and interceptions in 2003.

FS/SS (2): Rodney Harrison, Lawyer Milloy

Honorable Mention: Eugene Wilson

Milloy got off to a hot start in the new millennium. He was a defensive captain and was always at the top of the team in tackles. During the 2001 season, en route to New England’s first Super Bowl win, Milloy led the team with 113 tackles and threw in three sacks to boot. With Milloy gone, it was a savvy veteran Rodney Harrison who came in. He was named a defensive captain in his first season with New England and earned that title. He had a 140 tackle first season and continued to lead the New England defense for two Super Bowls. The hard hitting, some would call dirty, Harrison made opposing receiver earn every catch and help establish a strong secondary for the better part of a decade.

Special Teamer: Larry Izzo

There will be no honorable mention here. No other special team guy played harder or more consistent then Izzo. He was a linebacker by name, but he was the special team captain for eight straight seasons. He also played in 103 straight games for New England and since he came to the team in 2001, they have always had a winning record. He was a two time Pro Bowl selection while in New England and was part of the kickoff in all three Super Bowl wins.

KR: Ellis Hobbs

Honorable Mention: Bethel Johnson, Kevin Faulk

Hobbs was, and still is, one of the most dangerous kick returners of all time. His 108-yard return against the Jets in 2007 was, at the time, the longest play in NFL history. Teams would aim out of bounds to stop Hobbs from having a chance at going deep. There might have been faster guys, but no one gave New England better field position then Hobbs.

Kicker: Adam Vinatieri

Honorable Mention: Stephen Gostkowski

Sorry New England fans, but you’ll have to deal with it. I know he left and won a Super Bowl for the Colts, but you can not forget that he single-footed-ly won two Super Bowls in New England. Back in the day, number four jerseys could be seen as much as number 12 or 54. He was a two time pro bowl selection and two time all pro selection as a member of New England and, no matter what, will mean more for New England’s first two Super Bowls wins then anyone else. I will now smash my head into the keyboard.

Punter: Josh Miller

Honorable Mention: Chris Hansen and anyone but Ken Walter

I will stand by that Ken Walter remark. I would rather see Doug Flutie continue to take kicks, remember that one time with the drop kick field goal, then see Walters barely get the ball 20 yards. I know he won two Super Bowls and held those two Vinatieri kicks, but I’m going with Josh Miller. He played in 42 straight games for New England between 2004 and 2006 and was vital in Super Bowl XXXIX against Philadelphia. In that game he dropped two kicks at the seven and four yards lines. No other kicker has had that kind of performance this decade. Sorry Ken.

Patriots All-Decade MVP:

Bill Belichick

The most important figure in the history of the Patriots. A 2000 draft pick was the cost for New England to acquire Bill. He started with a 5-11 record, but since then it has been all up hill. Three Super Bowls in four appearances, two time coach of the year, an undefeated regular season and more wins this decade then any other head coach. He had the final say in draft choices, free agent signings and trades. Romeo Crennel, Josh McDaniels, Eric Mangini and Charlie Weis all left to coach other teams with mostly poor results. That proves who’s the real brains behind the operation. He may not give the best interviews or be the best dressed, but he knows how to win. He is the MVP of the Patriots and one of the greatest head coaches of all time.

© Teddy for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Featured, Opinion, Patriots, Top Story.

Meet the Broncos:

This season was supposed to be a transition year for the Broncos, the only problem is that no one told them. Longtime head coach Mike Shanahan was shown the door following an 8-8 season and was replaced by Bill Belichick protege Josh McDaniels. The McDaniels era did not get off to a great start following a very public war of words between the head coach and star quarterback Jay Cutler. Eventually, Cutler was traded and the focus was turned to wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who demanded a contract extension and was suspended when the team believed he was faking an injury. Despite the turmoil, they have survived some games and completely dominated others en route to their perfect 4-0 record.

Lost in the discussion of the Jay Cutler dilemma was the newly acquired Kyle Orton. Orton has emerged as the leader of this team, throwing for over 900 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions. For those thinking he was just a extra thrown into the Cutler deal, realize that Orton has a career record of 25-12. His weapons in Denver include Marshall, who has just begun to get going. His last game against Dallas included a 51-yard touchdown reception when he burned multiple Cowboy defenders.

The receiving team also includes former Patriots Jabar Gaffney and Daniel Graham, and Brandon Stokley, whose ridiculous catch in game one sealed a win over the Bengals. Throw in the running back tandem of Correll Buckhalter and rookie Knowshown Moreno and you are looking at one of the most dangerous offenses in football.

However, this team is not built on offense like the old Elway years. Now, the Broncos are equipped with the second ranked defense in the league. Elvis Dumervil is leading the league in sacks with eight and has been the defensive leader for a team that has compiled 15 sacks, second best in the league. D.J. Williams has been excellent with his 31 tackles, including 24 solo. Trying to beat them through the air and you will run into a fantastic secondary featuring future Hall of Fame players Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins. Despite bringing in a former offensive coordinator with McDaniels, this team has a powerful defense and plays both side of the ball with near perfection.

5 Things The Patriots Have to Do:

Let Bill Belichick do his thing:

There is no doubt that Bill Belichick is the coach of the decade. He has three Super Bowl wins in four appearances and is a two-time Coach of the Year winner, in 2003 and 2007. However, more impressive could be the number of assistant coaches that have become head coaches with other teams. Romeo Crennel, Charlie Weis, Eric Mangini and, now, Josh McDaniels have all left for their own chance to be in the spot light. With those in the NFL, Belichick seems to save his best for their eventual matchup.

Even though he left a season after Crennel, the first matchup between Bill Belichick and a protege was against Eric Mangini’s Jets in 2006. The highly anticipated matchup went to Belichick 24-17 and the end result was an awkward handshake between the two. Next was Crennel and his Cleveland Browns. The game was a 34-17 beat down in the middle of the Patriots perfect season, with the offense being led by none other then McDaniels. The Patriots need to let Belichick do his thing and a victory should happen.

Don’t give up on the running game:

Leading rusher Fred Taylor is out for the game, but that doesn’t mean the Patriots should abandon the run. Last week, against the fantastic rush defense of the Ravens, the Patriots only amassed 85 rushing yards, but three different backs got over 20 yards. Taylor has been a pleasant surprise for New England with 201 rushing yards, on over a third of the carries. Replacing him won’t be easy.

However, it’s not impossible. There is always the presence of Laurence Maroney. Maroney has not been himself lately, but has the history of being a strong running back. His rookie year saw him run for 745 yards and he followed it with 835 yards in his sophomore season. Injuries have hurt him, but if he can get it together this week, he could be a fantastic replacement. Include a hefty dose of Sammy Morris and Kevin Faulk, and maybe even the occasional BenJarvus Green-Ellis appearance, and the Patriots running game could get rolling.

Control the running backs:

Fact: Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno are in the top 20 in rushing. Fact: Moreano’s 249 yards are a rookie best for this season. Fact: the Broncos are the fourth best rushing team in the NFL. After being a backup in Philadelphia, Buckhalter is proving he can be one of the best. Behind a stellar offensive line, the backs could have a strong Sunday.

For New England, they need to crowd the line and keep the backs from making it beyond the line of scrimmage. They held the duo of Ray Rice and Willis McGahee to 114 yards last week (but Rice had 103 of them). This Patriots defense if going through a makeover and, should he sign, Junior Seau won’t be there this game. Other guys need to step up and push the offensive line of Denver to their limit. By stopping the backs, you make Kyle Orton and his receivers step up, if the Patriots secondary can play like they have been, the Patriots should take this game.

Bring back the Brady bunch:

Tom Brady is slowly starting to appear to becoming his old self. This season he has thrown for 1,129 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Last week, he threw for less then 40 times for the first time on the season. With a balanced attack, he went for 258 yards and a passer rating over 100, also a first on the season. By giving Brady less throws, he was able to be more selective and make smart moves and keep the chains moving.

Part of Brady’s success last week could have been the return of Wes Welker. After missing two games, Welker returned to make six catches for 48 yards. Welker’s return opened lanes for Randy Moss, who only had three catches, but averaged over 16 yards per catch, and Ben Watson, who averaged more then 25 yards per catch. Welker should be seen more this week and in doing so, he will open more deep routes for his teammates. Should Brady continue to improve, expect some deep balls and impressive catches from the likes of Moss.

Let the secondary carry the defense:

Should the defense be able to control the running game of the Broncos, all the pressure will fall onto New England’s secondary. The Broncos have four guys with over 100 yards receiving, but Brandon Marshall finally seems to be progressing. He has been getting better each week and if the Patriots can’t control him, he could put up some big numbers. The Broncos are also prone to luck. It will be hard to forget the Brandon Stokley deflected catch that went 87 yards to beat the Bengals.

Now take into consideration the New England defensive backs. Four of the top five players in tackles come from the secondary: Brandon Meriweather (28), Brandon McGowan (20), Shawn Springs (19), and James Sanders (19). They are also great at making solo tackles, meaning once they get you it’s hard to get away. New England will be more then likely to crowd the line and make Kyle Orton beat them through the air. The secondary will need to hit hard and cause more drops, like the Mark Clayton blunder last week. New England will look to add to their one interception on the season and give Orton his first in the process.

What to Expect:

Denver might be 4-0, but two of those wins are against the Browns and Raiders. Last week they beat the Cowboys by a touchdown, who were not impressive by any means. New England is coming a game against the Ravens where they were completely written off. They have momentum and they have Bill Belichick. Belichick might have said that McDaniels is the smarter coach, but there is no doubt that he loves embarrassing his proteges. No one should be surprised if it’s a blowout, but it will more the likely be a nail biter. Prediction: New England 20, Denver 13.

© Teddy for Sports of Boston, 2009. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Featured, Patriots, Top Story.