upstater1

In those games, the Patriots had a 20-3 against the Colts. They're not throwing to Moss. Brady did not put up big numbers. They were up 28-3 against the Jags, and Brady had a near perfect game. We can all speculate on what that means. The only game in which Branch was needed and only managed 3 receptions was the Titans game.

The 03/04 offense in the playoffs was a LOT more productive than the one in 2007.

You're calling basic football strategy a ridiculous idea. When you grab a big lead, you take the air out of the ball. Is this honestly a mystery to you?

In closer games and even in a losing game against Denver, the guy was fantastic.

That's why the latter games are important, because they were close. Beating the Jags and Indianapolis in the manner they did doesn't require a top notch performance from Deion. But without Deion, we don't beat the Panthers. And, no, I don't think Moss could have substituted for Deion that day against the Panthers. If we had to replay that game again, I would take the 2004 Deion over the 2007 Moss.

primetime

dillon led the team in rushing for 3 years and was the biggest reason they made it to the super bowl in 2004, faulk's been around forever but his best season was just over 600 yards rushing with a low average per carry. he simply never had the impact dillon did as a running back

emoney_33

Except I'm not the one using nitpicked games to prove a point. Playoff production (4 games for Moss, 8 for Branch and with INCREDIBLY different situations) doesn't tell me anything except for what happened.

Yeah it's team of the decade, I'd take Moss in 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09... It's not "what exact production numbers would you take from which year".

And we beat the Jags 31-20 and the Chargers 21-12, so we should throw out Moss' low production in that game too right? Even though Maroney got 100+ yards each of those games. 3 paragraphs ago you told me to use the same criteria for the two, then you go and make excuses for Branch's bad games because we won? So does that mean his great game in 05 can also be thrown out since we lost? This type of analysis boggles my mind.

I didn't know Branch was "the offense".

You are accusing me of doing something I am not doing.

So pick and choose what you want to use to show your support for nostalgia? You seriously are arguing for Branch over a HOF and Welker...

That's simply foolish, you and a handful of nostalgic Patriots fans are the only ones that would take 04 Branch over any year of Moss. I suppose you'll argue Branch didn't benefit from Dillon either.

Not to mention your "close game" argument may sound nice "in theory", but it simply doesn't apply in practice nor is it an accurate depiction of what happened.

2003:

The Titans game was close all the way through. We ran more in the CAR game than the IND game. They settled for 5 FGs against the Colts, Brown had 7 rec and Givens had 8. So there was passing happening (if you bring up teammates performances to let Branch slide then you'd have to do the same for Moss, who also had a good game in the SB)

2004:

It was 6-3 after the 1st half in the Colts game, they didn't make it 13-3 until the 4th quarter. 20-3 didn't happen till 3 minutes left to go. At no early point in that game was it under control. Branch had one completion... the first offensive play of the game.

It was 7-3 after the 1st half in the Jags game, that game wasn't "put away" till late in the 3rd quarter.

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jmt57

Even if we can't agree who should be named to this team, it's safe to say the decade was the best in Pats' history. All three championships came in those ten years as did more than half the trips in their franchise history to the championship game. The team had more playoff appearnces in the 2000's than they did in the 60's, 70's and 80's combined. The Pats won 64 more regular season games than they lost, and were 14-4 in the playoffs this past decade. The team went from having an all-time losing franchise record to an all-time winning percentage that is better than the Steelers, Redskins and Chiefs, among others.



Now, back to the all-decade roster debate. . .

patriotsdynasty12189

Its like basically our 2004 roster haha

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patsfan55

Haha, I think that was the one.

Longmeadow, MA huh?

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“My favorite ring? I've always said, you know, I always said the next one. The next one is the best,” Brady says.

tanked_as_usual

if washington belongs there, then so does traylor

jmt57

Not that stats tell everything, but here are a few numbers.



Wes Welker
3 seasons with the Pats
346 receptions (led team 3 times, league twice)
3688 yards
15 TD

In three playoff games had 27 receptions for 213 yards and 2 TD.
In the Super Bowl had 11 receptions for 103 yards.

Pats went 37-11 in the regular season with Welker and were 2-1 in the playoffs, making the playoffs twice in his three years with him.

Two Pro Bowls, one first-team All Pro.
Led league in receptions twice, and was 2nd once.
Was 2nd in receiving yards and receiving yards per game once each.


Randy Moss
3 seasons with the Pats
250 receptions
3765 yards
47 TD (led team 3 times, league twice)

In four playoff games Moss has 12 receptions for 142 yards and 1 TD.
In the Super Bowl he caught the go-ahead touchdown with 2:42 remaining.

Pats went 37-11 in the regular season with Moss and were 2-2 in the playoffs, making the playoffs twice in his three years with the team.

Two Pro Bowls, one first-team All Pro.
Ranked 1st in the NFL in receiving TD twice, and was 3rd once.
Ranked 2nd and 5th in receiving yards.
Ranked 4th and 5th in receiving yards per game.
Ranked 2nd in points scored.

Deion Branch
4 seasons with the Pats
213 receptions
2744 yards
14 TD

In 8 playoff games Branch had 41 receptions for 629 yards and 2 TD.
In two Super Bowls he had 21 receptions for 276 yards and 2 TD.

Pats went 47-17 in the regular season and 7-1 in the playoffs while Branch was a Pat.

Branch was never a Pro Bowler or lead the NFL in stats, but he was the Super Bowl MVP once.


Troy Brown
7 seasons with the Pats in the decade (plus 1 game in '07)
420 receptions
4539 yards
23 TD

In 14 playoff games this decade Brown had 51 receptions for 610 yards and 1 TD.
In 3 Super Bowls he had 16 receptions for 182 yards.

Brown made one Pro Bowl, ranked in the top six in receptions twice, and in the top ten in receiving yards once.

Pats were 12-2 in the playoffs during the decade with Brown on the team, winning three championships. In the regular season the Pats were 75-37 during the decade while Brown was a Pat.


David Givens
4 seasons with the Pats
158 receptions
2214 yards
12 TD

In 8 playoff games Givens had 35 receptions for 324 yards and 7 TD.
In two Super Bowls he had 8 receptions for 88 yards and 2 TD.

Pats went 7-1 in the playoffs and 47-17 in the regular season while Givens was on the team.

Givens did not make any Pro Bowls or rank in the top ten in the NFL in any statistical categories.




Looks to me that Troy Brown should be included, and David Givens would have to be left off. Choosing only two between Moss, Welker and Branch is a tough call; you can make valid arguments for all three of them.

BradyFTW!

Dillon had one dominant year and 2 pretty good ones. Faulk has been an instrumental, underrated part of the Pats' arsenal for every year of the decade. You can make a reasonable argument either way, but for an all-decade team I'll take Faulk.

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BradyFTW!

Also, I dunno why people are holding Randy's playoff stats against him. In 2007, teams had concluded by the end of the year that you absolutely had to contain Moss, no matter what, and no cost was too great. I'd rather have a WR who is only moderately producing while drawing double coverage on every play than someone who doesn't command a double in the first place.

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