Rodney Holds the Pats Accountable

Rodney Harrison calls out the Pats on not having won a championship since 2004:

Rodney Harrison calls out Patriots' lack of SB titles - NFL.com

His main target seems to be the commitment and collective will of the team:

"You have an opportunity to play for the greatest organization on the planet," Harrison told CSN New England's Tom Curran. "How can you not come out here and get it done? It's not good enough to win a playoff game. It's not good enough to make it to the AFC Championship game.

"It's time to win a Super Bowl and everybody has to be held accountable."

Harrison, who played six of his 15 NFL seasons in the Pats' secondary, said in his time with the team, they wouldn't have been content with just being good.

"Bill Belichick, he doesn't go into a season and say, 'Hey, this is a successful season if we win 12 games,'" Harrison said. "No. It's about getting to the Super Bowl and winning."

He then challenged the Patriots' leadership.

"You can't be a leader if you don't have an attitude," said Harrison. "You gotta have some pride about yourself. You gotta understand how important it is to show up on an everyday basis and hold yourself accountable as well as teammates. We weren't afraid to get in guy's faces and say, 'You're slacking.' Your professional pride, you get in a guy's face, he's gonna step it up or he's gonna be replaced. That's what I miss.

"And once again, I go back to the word accountability. You got Tom Brady, you got an opportunity to play with one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, how can you not get pumped up?"

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As always, an interesting perspective.

Hey Rodney we would have another SB if you hadn't let a never caught another pass JAG out physical you for a ball.

JMC00 said:

Hey Rodney we would have another SB if you hadn't let a never caught another pass JAG out physical you for a ball.

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That wasn't the reason we lost that game.

PP2 said:

That wasn't the reason we lost that game.

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It wasn't THE reason, but it was one of the reasons. Fact is he breaks up that pass the Pats win.

Brady got the lead and the defense failed to hold up their end of the bargain.

10 years is a long time, but I think people forget just how hard it is to win championships.

The Steelers won 4 in 6 years, then waited 26 years for their next one.

The 49ers won 4 throughout the 80's, their last in 1994, and haven't won again in 19 seasons.

The Cowboys won 3 in 4 years, then haven't gotten close in 18 seasons.

The Packers won the first 2 Super Bowls, then went another 29 seasons before winning another, then another 13 after that before winning a 4th.

The Giants won 2 Super Bowls in 1986 and 1990, then waited 17 years before their next (throwing up in my mouth as I type this).

And these are the most successful franchises. Think about the non-dynasty Super Bowl champs. Some of them looked like potential dynasties, but it never happened.

The Rams set all sorts of records on their way to their one Super Bowl in 1999. Didn't it look like they would win another against New England on their way to a possible dynasty? They would only win the division one more time, never coming close to the Super Bowl again after that Pats loss.

The Bears had perhaps the most dominant defense ever which led the way to a championship in 1985. 28 seasons have passed while they waited for another championship.

The Broncos won back-to-back championships in the 90s. It's now 15 years and counting for that next one.

The Dolphins won back-to-back championships in the 70s. It's now 40 years and counting for that next one.

The Jets won in 1968, the Chiefs in 1969, and neither has won again.

None of this is to make excuses. Asante needs to make that INT, that helmet catch was one of the most ridiculous things I've ever (unfortunately) seen, and yes, it wasn't a perfect pass, but I still have nightmares of Welker dropping that pass.

But we are spoiled by success. Winning championships isn't easy. In the BB era, we've won 3 Super Bowls by 9 combined points and lost 2 by 7 combined points. We could easily be 5-0 or 0-5 in those games. You need talent, but you also need a bit of luck here and there. The Tuck Rule game will always be remembered for that call, but what about those kicks from Vinatieri? The helmet catch. The onside kick by the Saints. A bounce here or there sometimes decides it.

Rodney should know better; he was part of a team that had a chance to win another championship and had it slip through our fingers multiple times. Winning a championship is never easy, and the best team doesn't always win it all in the end. But it's a credit to this franchise that we have those types of expectations.

^^^Thank you for injecting some perspective into the conversation. I believe that Rodney is right. I think he's saying what many fans probably believe about this team already. Obviously only time will tell. I do feel confident about this bunch, though.

I mean with the talent we have\had..I think we should have had at least 1 more. But its also very hard to win one and be this consistent. But they are still in the hunt every year

Brady_to_Moss said:

I mean with the talent we have\had..I think we should have had at least 1 more. But its also very hard to win one and be this consistent. But they are still in the hunt every year

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And that's why the "haven't won anything since Spygate" crowd will always be wrong in that asinine assertion. The Patriots have won plenty since and are within two really lucky catches from having won two since "Spygate." I really think they have the defense to put them over the top this season. It has turned out to be a perfect mix of youth & athleticism and veteran leadership & experience.

JMC00 said:

Hey Rodney we would have another SB if you hadn't let a never caught another pass JAG out physical you for a ball.

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That's cheap man, real cheap ....

Guy made countless of crucial plays for us, and you want to get at him for that?

How bout that 2 ints vs Philly in the SB, including a game closing one, that killed the game?

How bout the pick 6 AFC championship that same year vs Pittsburgh?

How bout making a tackle with a broken arm vs Carolina SB38?

How bout picking off Manning 03 AFC championship game, opening drive, in the end zone?

The guy was a big time player, he should be remembered for such more than that flukey Tyree catch.

JMC00 said:

It wasn't THE reason, but it was one of the reasons. Fact is he breaks up that pass the Pats win.

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Your blame might be better placed on Asante Samuel, who pulled up, stood there and watched instead of hitting Tyree along with Harrison.

AzorianPats said:

That's cheap man, real cheap ....

Guy made countless of crucial plays for us, and you want to get at him for that?

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It's not cheap. Harrison wants to continually run his mouth about the Pats not winning another SB then i'm gonna state a fact. Everyone talks about how Harrison was so great and physical, he got out-muscled by a JAG that caught it with his helmet. It's not attacking everything else he did with the Pats. It's just a fact.

JMC00 said:

It's not cheap. Harrison wants to continually run his mouth about the Pats not winning another SB then i'm gonna state a fact. Everyone talks about how Harrison was so great and physical, he got out-muscled by a JAG that caught it with his helmet. It's not attacking everything else he did with the Pats. It's just a fact.

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Again that's just one play, and furthermore an one-in-a-million play. Can you please show me another play where a NFL player has caught a ball with just one hand and a helmet.

Furthermore, you don't judge a player's career on just one play. You judge by his body of work.

convertedpatsfan said:

Winning a championship is never easy, and the best team doesn't always win it all in the end.

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Your post really puts things into perspective.

I disagree with you on one thing though. The best team always ends up winning it all. They won it all didn't they? That makes them the best team that season.

JMC00 said:

It wasn't THE reason, but it was one of the reasons. Fact is he breaks up that pass the Pats win.

Brady got the lead and the defense failed to hold up their end of the bargain.

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I agree, he has no business calling them out when he had a chance to put one away and failed. Winning Lombardi's is really really difficult and everything has to break your way, the Patriots have been coming close with some teams that really weren't championship caliber over the last 4 seasons, it will be interesting to see if they can get it done with one that is of that caliber this season.

PP2 said:

Again that's just one play, and furthermore an one-in-a-million play. Can you please show me another play where a NFL player has caught a ball with just one hand and a helmet.

Furthermore, you don't judge a player's career on just one play. You judge by his body of work.

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This is absolutely true and I have never blamed Harrison for that loss, but it is also hypocrtical for him to criticize the Patriots for not putting one away when he had the opportunity to do just that.

AzorianPats said:

That's cheap man, real cheap ....

Guy made countless of crucial plays for us, and you want to get at him for that?

How bout that 2 ints vs Philly in the SB, including a game closing one, that killed the game?

How bout the pick 6 AFC championship that same year vs Pittsburgh?

How bout making a tackle with a broken arm vs Carolina SB38?

How bout picking off Manning 03 AFC championship game, opening drive, in the end zone?

The guy was a big time player, he should be remembered for such more than that flukey Tyree catch.

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I don't think anyone is saying that Harrison wasn't a great player for the patriots, simply that he has no business pointing fingers when he could have sealed the deal for them.

JMC00 said:

It's not cheap. Harrison wants to continually run his mouth about the Pats not winning another SB then i'm gonna state a fact. Everyone talks about how Harrison was so great and physical, he got out-muscled by a JAG that caught it with his helmet. It's not attacking everything else he did with the Pats. It's just a fact.

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See, I don't see it as Harrison running his mouth as I see him trying to act like a team leader/cheerleader from the sideline. I see it as his love of the NE organization and I'm glad we have guys like him saying, "You're playing for the best coach and with the best quarterback, so start thinking about a title!"

I doubt anyone on the Pats is upset by his words.

50-yard-line said:

See, I don't see it as Harrison running his mouth as I see him trying to act like a team leader/cheerleader from the sideline. I see it as his love of the NE organization and I'm glad we have guys like him saying, "You're playing for the best coach and with the best quarterback, so start thinking about a title!"

I doubt anyone on the Pats is upset by his words.

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This.

Rodney's not tearing the team down. He's trying to hype them up. He's saying they're a part of one of the best teams in the NFL. They have all the tools they need to succeed, so they need to get their s*** together, get out there, and execute. Because with Belichick and Brady, you always have a chance. Not just at winning AFC East. Not just at winning the AFC Championship. Everything you'd ever need to raise a fourth Lombardi is at your disposal. So... come on, let's go.

PP2 said:

Again that's just one play, and furthermore an one-in-a-million play. Can you please show me another play where a NFL player has caught a ball with just one hand and a helmet.

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Didn't someone do a helmet catch during last regular season?

PP2 said:

Can you please show me another play where a NFL player has caught a ball with just one hand and a helmet.

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I can show you one from last year:



Dez Bryant