Compare Teams from 2004 to Now

[onegameatatime]

How do the Patriots and Colts compare to the teams that last were in the playoffs in 2004? Interested in others' opinions, but here's how I see it:

PATRIOTS

QB -- as good or a little better than 2004 (more experience)
RBs -- a little worse now -- I love LoMo for the future, but Dillon was a 1600 yd guy that year and in the last year of his prime
WRs -- worse now -- yeah, we're getting it done, but Branch was really good
TEs -- better now; great depth
OL -- a little better maybe, but I do not know why our running game does not look better now than is used to

DL -- Big Ted was probably a little better than VW is now, but Warren has improved a lot, so I'd say a little better
LBs -- a little worse; similar personnel, but older and making fewer big plays
DBs -- a little worse now unless Rodney can play

COLTS

QB -- about the same
RBs -- a little worse than with James
WRs/TEs -- about the same -- key is the big 2, but Stokely/Clark v. Clark/Utecht is about a push and Wayne seems to keep getting better
OL -- ?? seems really good still and mostly the same -- Saturday, Diem, Glenn ...

DL -- better now -- Mathis and Booger added
LBs -- similar with Brackett and June, although there must be an injury because Morris also started against Balt.
DBs -- probably better now because more experience -- starting personnel difference is Bethea for Doss (who I do not think was that good anyway)

 

[pats1]

How do the Patriots and Colts compare to the teams that last were in the playoffs in 2004? Interested in others' opinions, but here's how I see it:

PATRIOTS

QB -- as good or a little better than 2004 (more experience)
RBs -- a little worse now -- I love LoMo for the future, but Dillon was a 1600 yd guy that year and in the last year of his prime
WRs -- worse now -- yeah, we're getting it done, but Branch was really good
TEs -- better now; great depth
OL -- a little better maybe, but I do not know why our running game does not look better now than is used to

DL -- Big Ted was probably a little better than VW is now, but Warren has improved a lot, so I'd say a little better
LBs -- a little worse; similar personnel, but older and making fewer big plays
DBs -- a little worse now unless Rodney can play

COLTS

QB -- about the same
RBs -- a little worse than with James
WRs/TEs -- about the same -- key is the big 2, but Stokely/Clark v. Clark/Utecht is about a push and Wayne seems to keep getting better
OL -- ?? seems really good still and mostly the same -- Saturday, Diem, Glenn ...

DL -- better now -- Mathis and Booger added
LBs -- similar with Brackett and June, although there must be an injury because Morris also started against Balt.
DBs -- probably better now because more experience -- starting personnel difference is Bethea for Doss (who I do not think was that good anyway)

Ted Washington was not on the 2004 team. That would be Keith Traylor.

Robert Mathis wasn't a starter on the 2004 Colts, but still had 10.5 sacks.

The 2004 Colts had Tripplett and Reagor. In no way does McFarland make up for that.

 

[shmessy]

Well done, however, i would differ with you regarding the Pats NT.

VW this year is better than Traylor in 2004. Traylor was decent in 2004, but VW is having an almost Pro-Bowl year.

Also, regarding the DB's - yes, I agree re: the Safeties, but didn't we have Randall Gay and Hank Poteat/Pre-Superstar Asante Samuel as our CB's in the 2004 playoffs? Given that, I'd say our secondary is even with that one.

 

[scout]

Hate to add this but, you left out the kicking game.

 

[PromisedLand]

In 2004 our starting corners were Randall Gay (UFA rookie) and Asante, who was in his second year but first year starting. Harrison and Wilson were the starting safeties. I think our corners are a lot better now (mostly because of Asante's growth) and our safeties are a bit worse, so that is a push.

 

[mcknice]

Rob Morris isn't starting at Sam Linebacker because of injury, he's starting because the other guy wasn't getting it done. Also Michael Smith on ATH said that change has helped to improve the Indy defense because Morris is a better tackler than the guy they had in there (I'm drawing a blank on his name).

 

[onegameatatime]

Rob Morris isn't starting at Sam Linebacker because of injury, he's starting because the other guy wasn't getting it done. Also Michael Smith on ATH said that change has helped to improve the Indy defense because Morris is a better tackler than the guy they had in there (I'm drawing a blank on his name).

It seems like in 3GTG3, Morris is constantly diving at air. He has been one of the most riduculed players on the Indy board.

Is the other guy Gardner?

Was June injured against Baltimore?

 

[onegameatatime]

In 2004 our starting corners were Randall Gay (UFA rookie) and Asante, who was in his second year but first year starting. Harrison and Wilson were the starting safeties. I think our corners are a lot better now (mostly because of Asante's growth) and our safeties are a bit worse, so that is a push.

Rodney is like an on-field coach and was pro-bowl caliber. Wilson was playing well, and I think Gay wqas doing very well by the time of the playoffs. I take the 2004 DBs.

 

[onegameatatime]

Hate to add this but, you left out the kicking game.

This is a wild card, although there's no doubt that Miller and Adam were more reliable.

 

[pats1]

It seems like in 3GTG3, Morris is constantly diving at air. He has been one of the most riduculed players on the Indy board.

Is the other guy Gardner?

Was June injured against Baltimore?

Right. Morris was the backup MLB but became the starting SLB when Gardner sucked it up. June is the WLB.

 

[DougGabriel2007]

The 04 team was significantly better that OL/WR/DB and K....

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Well, I guess Vinatieri is still being called the more reliable kicker. But unlike AV, Gost has yet to miss a postseason field goal for New England

Just being a homer,

PFnV

 

[pats1]

The 04 team was significantly better that OL/WR/DB and K....

I have a hard time believing that...

Andruzzi > Mankins
Gorin > Kaczur/O'Callaghan
04 Koppen > 06 Koppen
04 Neal > 06 Neal
04 Light > 06 Light

 

[onegameatatime]

I have a hard time believing that...

Andruzzi > Mankins
Gorin > Kaczur/O'Callaghan
04 Koppen > 06 Koppen
04 Neal > 06 Neal
04 Light > 06 Light

And yet, for some reason, the running game seemed much better in 04. Maybe it is a function of the WRs, where I think we all would agree that 04 was definitely better than what we have now -- not that the players we have not are not giving it their best and doing a reasonable job.

 

[Oswlek]

This may sound a little strange considering how amazing Manning's numbers that season were and how poorly he played this past week, but I think Manning is significantly better than he was in 2004.

In the past, Indy was a precision offense to a fault. When they were on, they were unstoppable, but all you needed to do was throw off the timing a little and they had no answer. Manning was a big part of this as he had virtually no improvisation ability.

The Manning of 2004 would never have made that 1st drive toss to Harrison in the last NE/Indy game. In 2004 that was either an incompletion or a pick, most likely a toss out of bounds. I can't recall specific plays, but I know that there were at least 5 other plays where NE got a good push up the middle and Manning kept his poise and made a positive play that his 2004 counterpart wouldn't have made.

That said, Manning was his trembly, happy feet self against the Ravens. But I fully expect him to come out and play well this week.