Steamer86

I think this list is a couple years old. Are Vrabel, Warren, Wilfork worthy of consideration yet? Who would be back-up QB, Bledsoe or Grogan? Harrison over Milloy? Bruschi over Nellie? Go Pats!!!! This one is going to be HUGE. If we beat SD, we become the Undisputed Favorite immediately....Sorry this post has nothing to do with game, but there is only so much one can talk, disect and think about game and I thought this would be good relaxation to get minds off game for a while...



All-Time Patriots Team

Offense

QB: Tom Brady Backups: Drew Bledsoe; Steve Grogan

RB: Jim Nance Backups: Curtis Martin

FB: Sam 'Bam' Cunningham Backups: Don Calhoun; Mosi Tatupu

WR: Stanley Morgan Backup: Jim Colclough

WR: Troy Brown Backup: Gino Cappelletti

TE: Ben Coates Bckup: Russ Francis

T: Bruce Armstrong Backup: Tom Neville

T: Leon Gray Backup: Brian Holloway

G: John Hannah Backup: Len St. Jean

G: Sam Adams Backup: Steve Moore, Ron Wooten

C: Pete Brock Backups: Jon Morris; Bill Lenkatis

Defense

DT: Ray Hamilton Backup: Tim Goad

DT: Houston Antwine Backup: Jim Hunt

DE: Julius Adams Backup: Garin Veris

DE: Richard Seymour Backup: Bob Dee, Larry Eisenhauer

LB: Andre Tippett Backup: Vincent Brown

LB: Steve Nelson Backup: Tedy Bruschi, Nick Buonicointi

LB: Willie McGinest Backup: Don Blackmon

DB: Mike Haynes Backup: Raymond Clayborn

DB: Ty Law Backup: Maurice Hurst, Ronnie Lippett

S: Fred Marion Backup: Tim Fox

S: Lawyer Milloy Backup: Rodney Harrison

sarge

Dillon over Martin and Nance.

Dillon's 2004 season was the best by any Patriot ever.

And I would make Milloy the backup on safety with Harrison the starter.

Steamer86

Tom Brady moves into 40th in team rushing history. Congrats Tom!!!! Only 136 more to Reggie Dupard.



YEARS NO. YARDS AVG LG TD
1. Sam Cunningham 1973-79,81-82 1,385 5,453 3.9 75t 43
2. Jim Nance 1965-71 1,323 5,323 4.0 65t 45
3. Tony Collins 1981-87 1,191 4,647 3.9 54 32
4. Curtis Martin 1995-97 958 3,799 4.0 70t 32
5. Don Calhoun 1975-81 820 3,391 4.1 73 23
6. John Stephens 1988-92 891 3,249 3.6 52 17
7.
Corey Dillon 2004-06 753 3,180 4.2 50 37
8. Larry Garron 1960-68 763 2,981 3.9 85t 14
9. Antowain Smith 2001-03 721 2,781 3.9 44 21
10. Craig James 1984-88 585 2,469 4.2 73 11
11. Leonard Russell 1991-93 689 2,437 3.5 24 13
12. Mosi Tatupu 1978-90 612 2,415 3.9 55 18
13. Kevin Faulk 1999-2006 632 2,398 3.8 45t 11
14.
Carl Garrett 1969-72 537 2,235 4.2 80t 15
15. Andy Johnson 1974-76,78-81 491 2,017 4.1 69t 13
16. Steve Grogan 1975-90 443 2,176 4.9 41t 35
17. Ron Burton 1960-65 429 1,536 3.6 59 9
18. Horace Ivory 1977-81 329 1,336 4.1 52 14
19. Mack Herron 1973-75 353 1,298 3.7 53 9
20. Robert Perryman 1987-89 369 1,294 3.5 48 9
21. Vagas Ferguson 1980-82 290 1,163 4.0 44 5
22. Robert Edwards 1998 291 1,115 3.8 53 9
23. Jim Crawford 1960-64 302 1,078 3.6 39t 5
24. Josh Ashton 1972-74 247 950 3.8 35 3
25. Babe Parilli 1961-67 228 949 4.2 33t 15
26. Terry Allen 1999 254 896 3.5 22t 8
27. Jim Plunkett 1971-75 159 817 5.1 37 9
28. Laurence Maroney 2006 175 745 4.3 41 6
29. Mark van Eeghen 1982-83 177 744 4.2 17 2
30. Robert Weathers 1982-86 159 733 4.6 77 4
31. Marion Butts 1994 243 703 2.9 26 8
32. Jon Vaughn 1991-92 144 597 4.1 36 3
33. Billy Lott 1961-63 143 573 4.0 38 8
34. Reggie Dupard 1986-89 186 571 3.1 49 6
35. John Tarver 1972-74 155 554 3.6 28 7
36. Drew Bledsoe 1993-2001 155 554 3.3 25 2
37. J.R. Redmond 2000-02 164 527 3.2 20 1
38. Patrick Pass 2000-06 128 526 4.1 31 3
39. Tony Eason 1983-89 126 474 3.8 26 6
40. Tom Brady 2000-06 239 435 1.8 22 3

sarge

I watched the 85 afc championship game again recently. Clayborne dominated that game.

It's so funny how much smaller and slower the players looked, but Clayborne looked like he could hang in any era

chris_in_sunnyvale

Clayborn's coverage on Mark Duper that game was not just all-pro nor all-world, but rather all-universe. That sequence that ended with Clayborn's pick where Marino threw to Duper three (or four) straight plays was unbelievable.

Regards,
Chris

Ghost of Ben Dreith

I like the thought of this thread, but I try not to get too involved in something like this since you have to define the absolute skill level versus the level at the time. For example, Dillon is a better runner than Nance, but Nance is by far the better Patriot. I disown the traitor Martin

These can be fun discussions (I'm sure the purpose of the thread) but not much can be determined by it.....except Grogan as #2 over Drew....no if, ands, or buts......of course IMO.

Also winning and surrounding teammates figure into it. I really have a hard time gauging performance over different eras. This is like asking where Unitas would figure in to today's game....I know he wouldn't be as great (relatively) as he was then, but you get the gist.

The idea of one of my favorite Pats though....Troy Brown....being our second best receiver just makes me think we have been a bit short in the receiver department....46 years.....Troy #2....? Maybe that is a better example than any above on different eras.

3 to be 4

Thats a pretty darn good team! Brady at QB, Nance, Martin and Dillon. Great OL, Great defense. We've been lucky.

Its a shame about Terry Glenn. He was probably the most talented Patriot receiver of all time. He could have easily been the #1 WR on this list had he not been a headcase.

I, for one, take Bledsoe over Grogan. Bledsoe had a passing game, he was our first "big time" QB, made the Pro Bowl and took the Patriots to a Super Bowl. Grogan never won a playoff game. It took Eason leading the team in the playoffs to do it. I love Grogan, but c'mon.

we've also been blessed with the last 3 coaches. Parcells and Belichick, enough said, but im very glad for Pete Carroll and his success at USC. He was given a raw deal I think here with the inept Bobby Grier messing up 3 drafts and having to follow Parcells. In 1998 the Patriots lost Bledsoe, Glenn, Martin, and Ted Johnson and he got them to the playoffs with Scott Zolak. Im not saying he wasnt flawed, but he wasnt the bum Patriot Nation made him out to be.

the problem was more Grier than it was Carroll, although yes yes yes thank goodness Belichick replaced him.

IcyPatriot

Harrison over Milloy all day long.

Sean Pa Patriot

agree with everything except

Milloy would not be in there Harrison would start

Jim Colulough would not be on that list , Darryl Stingley would be it

Would start Clayborn over Law

And would have Dillion over Martin, same amt of yrs they been here but Dillion has won when it mattered..

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



We going to take it one game at a time

Patriotic

Good job on the list. Agree on Harrison, Stingley and Dillon. Would take big Vince at NT with Sugar Bear Hamilton as backup.

A few talented guys worth mentioning on lousy teams or had an injury shortened career were Jim Plunkett, Ron Sellers, Clayton Weishun and Carl Garrett.