If you could bring back one former Patriot in their prime...

There is no question that Randy Moss would do more for the current Patriots than any other ex-player.

And besides, his return would tweak Felger's nose. Remember how happy Felger was when Moss left? Felger could not have been more wrong...

Zeus said:

There were actually three fumbles recovered on Patriot kickoffs and returned for touchdowns.

1. In regular season Game 15 at Miami, NE had scored to cut the Miami lead to 27-20 in the 4th quarter. Cedric Jones recovered/returned the Dolphin fumble on the ensuing kickoff to tie the game. Dolphins went on to win 30-27.
   
   
2. In the AFC Wildcard Game at the Meadowlands, after a Tony Franklin FG, Johnny Rembert stripped the ball from jet KR Johnny Hector and returned it for a TD to open up a 23-7 lead. Patriots won 26-14. (Andre Tippet fans may remember that Tippett's brutal hit on jet QB Ken O'Brien late in the first half knocked the jet QB out of the game.)
   
   
3. Finally, in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Oakland, a Tony Franklin FG tied the game late in the third quarter. On the kickoff, Jim Bowman recovered Sam Seale's fumble in the end zone. That TD was the margin of victory in the Patriots 27-20 win.

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Wow! Ask and you shall receive. Thanks Zeus.

For some reason I was thinking that the Miami TD was in the playoff game.

It was really strange to see three TDs scored on kickoffs.

SB39 said:

I don't really think things changed much for CB's in the late 90's. I think things changed from the "point of emphasis" post-2004 and all the subsequent "targeting" rules placed in. I know Law was still playing after the rules "emphasis" but, in his prime, he was playing more under the old rules than the rules and enforcement we see today.

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Correct.

Our SBs came before the Polianic era of the NFL began.

hivory said:

Pretty sure Johnny Rembert recovered a fumble in the WC game against the Jets for a td, and Jim Bowman recovered a fumbled kickoff for a TD against the Raiders in the divisional game. I was at the AFC championship game against the Fish, I dont remember a special teams TD in that one...

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Thanks for the help hi. Luckily, the gods were good to me and you and Zeus helped jog my memory.

1960Pats said:

Correct.

Our SBs came before the Polianic era of the NFL began.

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Ty Law played in the NFL until 2009. He went to the Pro Bowl as a member of the Jets in 2005, which is after the Polianic era began.

B

Dingleberry said:

You are correct. The Patriots forced 11 turnovers in the first two playoff games.

In the Miami game, Eason threw 3 TD passes to Tony Collins, Derrick Ramsey, and Robert Weathers. Tatupu ran for the other TD.

You can tell I still watch that VCR tape at least once a year!

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When Tony Eason wasn't running scared, he was a decent QB, pretty accurate. If he had the toughness he could have been very good.

Moss, Hannah, Haynes,

but then maybe another guy that I don't think anyone has mentioned, if you count career primes that occurred before they played in a Pats uniform:

Junior Seau

Bethel Johnson of course! Without him, "we will never win another SB"

Moss or Russ Francis

Mike Haynes, HOF CB with the speed and size to dominate.
Rodney would be a close second because this team needs nasty.

50-yard-line said:

Tippett was truly awesome, but man, when Hannah came pulling around the end, you could see opposing cornerbacks crying...

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The problem is in his prime is weight (6'2" 265lbs.) was too light. Not his fault. Give him a year or so to bulk up with modern (coughsteroidscough) training methods. Then how does his body respond to the extra weight?

Then we have the effect of rule changes. I have no idea how people from the '80s and '70s like Haynes or Clayborne would adjust. Take Tippet, he was a beast, but at 6'3" 240lbs he might be a tad light for a LB.

As we go further back I wonder how they'd fair against a modern, mediocre 300 lb. opponent.

Don't get me wrong, I think a guy like Russ Francis would be awesome - eventually (coughsteriodscough training methods)

B

BelichicksHoodie said:

To take it slightly off topic because they weren't Patriots, imagine Jerry Rice or Marino in today's NFL? I would venture their already incredible numbers would be dwarfed had they been playing in the era right now.

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OT: You realize the rules that were "re-emphasized" were just before Marino came into the league? ( I think 1978, but I'm not sure.)

The last real QB with the TD record was Y.A. Tittle who threw 38 in 14 games when he could be hit in the head and if the ball was not in the air you could "Fight off the receiver's block." (Do an image search and you'll see him kneeling in the end zone bleeding from THE HEAD after losing the NFL championship.)

With today's rules he has more than 38 TDs in 14 games.

Now you kids GET OFF MY LAWN, after I tell you how I walked to school in the snow.

Tom Brady….

If we bring him, back to 2007 then he would be 28 years old again so we would have him another 7 years on top of whatever he has left.

Does the 28 year old Brady count as a a former Patriots.

If not I would like to bring back Randy Moss because he fills a need.

Moss probably caught more passes one-handed in 07 than Amendola had total receptions this past year.

Moss had 23 TDs in 07....if a WR had 23 receptions for that Pats in 2013, that meant they were a huge part of the offense.

Moss easily here.

In my opinion, it's a defensive player. Either Richard Seymour (who I believe "in his prime" could fit into this system now and be quite productive), or Ty Law.

Either of those players in their prime would go a long way towards upgrading the talent on this current team, while arguably filling a need and making our defense much better.

The pressure off the edge you'd get with Andre Tippett's 84-85 prime of 35 sacks in 2 years seems like a no brainer to me.

My gut reaction/thought was to say Mike Vrabel.

Not only a play maker on D but a play maker on O in goal line situations.

All the other suggestions here are great too - but I'll take the high caliber player with leadership qualities who improves both the offense and the defense immediately

It's really tough only selecting one player, but I think I would go with Mike Haynes.

Others worth considering:
John Hannah
Nick Buoniconti
Andre Tippett
Randy Moss
Ty Law
Russ Francis
Junior Seau
Ted Washington
Houston Antwine
Corey Dillon

A couple other names to throw out there that may not count since they didn't make it out of training camp: John Lynch and Torry Holt.

Ty Law. At his prime, QBs simply gave up even throwing in his direction.

I've already given my opinion but the more I chew on it the more Im convinced it's either Moss or Tippett... by a mile or two.

Between those two though.. it has to be a photo finish.