ctpatsfan77

5. The Welker trade: Hard to believe that you could make a case for all of the following arguments:
(1) The second-round pick was an absolute bargain for the Patriots.
(2) Welker was not worth a second-rounder to, essentially, any other team in the NFL.
(3) Welker has exceeded most of our expectations.
(4) The Dolphins improved their team, in the long term, with the trade.
(5) Nevertheless, by sending Welker to the Pats, they ultimately left themselves further behind the Patriots than they were before they traded him.

4. The Patriots have had more players score touchdowns (21) than three teams have touchdowns, period. Tom Brady has more touchdown passes this season than 29 teams have touchdowns, period (the Colts have 48 and the Cowboys 52).

3. We're honestly having a serious discussion about a 0 TD, 1 INT 20-10 Patriots win in terrible weather being Brady's annual "stinker." (Could any of you have imagined, in 2004, that we'd be having this discussion right now?)

2. The Patriots are 15-2 on the road the last two seasons (including playoffs)--and 10 of those wins have been by two touchdowns or more.

1. Tom Brady is the only quarterback in the Super Bowl era to have won more than 16 consecutive regular-season games . . . and he's now done it twice.

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"Momentum was quickly snatched away by New England, who once again proved that any Patriot, at any moment, can make a play." —Inside the NFL, Packers v. Patriots

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BradyManny

All great points, this one stands out. Brady's "annual stinker" normally consists of 4 interceptions and a loss, so if his stinker is last week, well then that just tells you what a great year he's having. Even his crappy game works out just OK.

TheGodInAGreyHoodie

The ironic thing about Welker is when he was on a team full of talent and superstar players such as the powerhouse known as the Miami Dolphins, he lacked the skill set to earn a starting role at WR, starting only 3 games in two years. However, on a team with less skilled WR, the New England Patriots, he rose to the level of starter, starting 12 of 14 games this season.

If the fact that Welker could not cut it at the Dolphins, but leads in receptions on the New England is not absolute proof that the Dolphins are talent packed and Patriots is an abyss of quality players, then I don't know what other proof exists.

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Citing the Bible as proof of God is like citing comic books to prove the existence of Superman.

PatsFaninAZ

Great list.

On Welker, though, there seems to be this impression out there that Miami gave him up voluntarily. They didn't. It didn't start out as a trade. The Patriots were set to sign him as an RFA, but then the parties sat down and agreed to a "trade" in which New England gave up a 7th (in addition to the 2d which Miami would have received anyway if Welker had been signed as an RFA) in order to avoid the unpleasantness of a poison pill scenario.

I guess one could argue that Miami made a mistake by giving Welker a 2d round tender instead of a 1st round tender. I'd agree with that. But when you hear commentators refer to Welker as having been "traded" by Miami, to the extent it implies a voluntary trade and desire to get rid of him, it's not entirely accurate.

PatsWickedPissah

Exactly. That's what makes this year so special. Last year he had the Jets and before that the loss to the Phins but now the dropoff from supreme excellence is a 0 TD 1 pick game. I'm sure he's totaly pissed at himself for the pick.

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Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as "bad luck." RAH

TheGodInAGreyHoodie

That is all true. What amazes me it that the Dolphins didn't put him to better use while he was there.

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Citing the Bible as proof of God is like citing comic books to prove the existence of Superman.

ClevTrev

Good thread and good stats that really stand out when you consider them together.

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DarrylS

Then this means that the sky is not falling, I can be happy once again.. lah, de dah.. nice post.

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"Being the best doesn't mean you always win. It just means you win more than anyone else".. tweet from Kurt Warner to Tom Brady.

fourthandmiles

What would Welker be worth now? HYPOTHETICALLY!

Drew_Brady

What about:
A) Mike Vrabel still comes with a 100% receiving TD guarantee
B) Through week 15, no offensive lineman of an opposing team have taken a cheap shot at Brady despite my local commentator being certain this would happen!

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Having Brady and Moss for a 6th and 4th round pick - now that is cheating!