MrNathanDrake

Do you remember in 2009 and 2010 seasons....

We had just lost our "core" players on defense.... It was the post-Dyanasty era... gone were Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Seymour, Colvin, Rodney Harisson, Junior Seau, etc.

We had a whiny Adalius Thomas in 09. Mayo was just a young buck. Wilfork seemed new to the leadership role and maybe a bit too laid back for it. Meriweather was disgressing and showing signs of being a punk. Wheatley, Wilhite, and Darius Butler were all easy targets for QBs to pick on.

Brady was still recovering from his traumatic knee-injury and re-gaining his form.

We also had Randy "I play when I wanna play" Moss. A great player who is known to be a bit lazy.

There was Late-Gate in 09 and rumors of locker room issues. We lost to the Ravens in the playoffs. Our team was soft. They got pushed around. Our team had no leadership.

2010 was a big comeback year but it still felt like the team got bullied at times. Like the playoff loss to the Jets.




Did anyone feel like the teams toughness and leadership was MUCH improved last season? Now Brady is the unquestioned leader. He's much more vocal than he used to be, both on the field and on the sidelines. Watching Brady in 2007 and then watching him in 2011, its like seeing a boy transition into being a man (leadership wise).

Brandon Spikes added a ton of toughness and intensity to the defense that Mayo doesn't bring.

Patrick Chung is another lead by example guy and positive team influence.

McCourty, while having a down year, is still a tough SOB at corner and plays the run well. He doesn't get roasted like the midget CB's we used to have.

Wilfork seems more comfortable as a leader now.

Gronkowski is probably the toughest TE in the league and an intimidating force. Great blocker and hard for defenders to bring down.

BB got rid of the egos in the locker room (Adalius Thomas, Randy Moss) and started drafting players that were Captains on there college teams.

Rookie Dont'a Hightower is a hard hitting, physical defender who is great at shedding blocks and is as big as any ILB I've ever seen (265lbs)


IMO It took a couple years after the Dynasty-era players were gone, but it seems like our team finally has a high degree of toughness and leadership.

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DarrylS

I do not think that it is a coincidence that most of these guys who were drafted were team captains and played at a very high level.

A number of these guys also have coaching lineage....

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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.

Dingleberry

Now? Optimistic.

But really wanted to emphasize what a turd Adalius was/is.

MrNathanDrake

I think we're set for the next 3 years or so with this core group

Barring any major injuries of course.

Even if Welker leaves next year, I don't think it will hurt as much as most ppl think. Plus will he really leave Brady and the Pats? I don't think he would. Its all just posturing for more money (don't blame him) but I see him retiring as a Patriot.

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Uncle Rico

I also bet Brady was not in the clubhouse a whole lot in '08, and that's when the rot set in. I different sort of culture creeped in. Kudos to BB and TB for turning it around so quickly.

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"If they sought to intimidate us, to terrorize us, to shake us from ... the values that make us who we are, as Americans -- well, it should be pretty clear by now that they picked the wrong city to do it. Not here in Boston. Not here in Boston."
—President Barack Obama, April 18, 2013



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voluntarysaftey

I'm not sure if its turned over yet. These guys have yet to really show they are the same kind of leaders that we used to have.

Also don't think Brady being absent in 08 has anything to do with lack of defensive leaders.

Between 01 and 07 there was just a good set of guys who were really good and outspoken which pushed the others to excel.
Harrison I think is the biggest. Followed by Bruschi. Even guys like Seymour or Law -- not necessarily all about the patriot way, but they were great when it came to getting younger players to live up to their potential.

I'm not really seeing that yet. Hopefully it'll come into place.

BananaRepublican

I thought last year's team had good character. The defense really impressed me. They fought through a lot of injuries and the Albert Curse to finally put a decent product on the field in the playoffs. That was a defense in transition with no OTAs and then Albert and bunches of injuries to the backfield but they hung together. I credit Vince with a lot of that.

I don't see character being an issue this year but each team does develop its own. To me how they respond to playing from behind says a lot. Seeing how they play after losing the previous week says a lot. Seeing how they handle a roughhouse like Seattle will be interesting.