Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010
 

Who was your most pleasant surprise player of 2010?

This would mean the player you were most shocked with having an outstanding season.

All of my choices would be worthy but you can only pick ONE

Re: Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010
 

Many fine choices but McCourty takes it hands down. We don't have this 14-2 season without him IMO.

Re: Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010
 

Woodhead by far IMO I didn't expect anything from him and now he's a huge weapon.

Re: Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010
 

Very true but one guy who may not get credit here in this poll may be the most valuable on offense...Deion Branch

Brandon Tate was supposed to be the guy to replace Moss and provide the deeper threat but since Tate has disappointed I don't know how the offense would have been anywhere near as good without Branch returning home.

You can probably go on and on about any player on this list whose absence would have made going 14-2 very tough

Re: Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010
 

I can't call the #1 pick a surprise. Woodhead, on the other hand....went from being just another body to...the X Factor. The offense opens up with him on the field because defenses must defend both run and pass. The Oline works their most creative blocking schemes with Woodhead in the backfield, and he has the knack of finding the hole.

Re: Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010
 

I voted for Connolly. The other guys on the list rock, no doubt about it. But the question was who was the most pleasant *surprise*. With Mankins taking half a year off i was pretty sure our O-line was screwed. Doubly screwed when Kaczur went down. But Connolly filled in very well at LG, then at RG when Neal went down.

Re: Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010
 

Re: Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010
 

This is tough....

Woodhead, McCourty, Ninkovich, and Lawfirm are all good choices IMO.

Woodhead - A lot of people had never even heard of the guy, but I was lucky enough to see him in the 2008 preseason, he had a big game and I kept an eye out for him from then on. I never thought he would make this big of an impact for any team though.

McCourty - The fact that this was the guy that BB wanted in the draft was comforting. I figured he would the 3rd....maybe 2nd CB, but when Bodden went down was worried that he would have to step in right away....he's now a pro bowler.

Ninkovich - Who saw this kind of performance coming...probably our best OLB right now.

BJGE - 4th string RB to start the season, some people thought he wouldn't make the team. He is now our 1st 1,000 yard rusher since Corey Dillon.

I can't pick just one.

Re: Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010
 

I was gonna say Woodhead cuz I loves me some woodhead, but I had to go with McCourty cuz the O was ok last year but our D needed a lot of help.

Re: Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010
 

Branch by far! You guys forgetting those awesome times of Brady Branch? Yea, they didn't give the razzle dazzle of Brady Moss, but Branch shattered teams in the clutch. Remember SB 39, where he tied Jerry Rice(!)'s record for catches? Or this year against the Ravens where he moved the chains in overtime straight to the victory?

And yea, Woodhead's pretty good too :p