Bold Statement: 2014 receiving corps is the best in franchise history

[Fencer]

Brady sprained ankle was largely ignored. .

That too. I think it's the ONE time in his career that his personal life has significantly detracted from the team. His bye week visit to NYC -- where you walk everywhere instead of driving around -- was NOT good for the team.

On the other hand, I can understand very well why he did it.

 

[mgteich]

Tyree made the catch. Butler made the interception. Based on these two events, the 2007 offense was a bunch of post-season losers with lots of weaknesses, and the 2014 team was the best clutch post season offense ever (and the best passing game for the whole season ever).
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As was said before, absent the Tyree catch, the 2007 team would be considered the best NFL team of all time (rivaling the 1985 Bears). IMHO, there were four better teams for more than one year (franchises), but for one year, the 2007 team, and certainly the 2007 offense, was arguably the best ever in the NFL.
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My view is that the 2007 offense was probably the best offense in NFL history, by any team (although the Montana teams come close). And I agree, that there were arguably several passing offenses comparable to 2014.

You understand the perspective of some when the 2001-2004 passing games are considered. Folks think that these passing games were the best because the TEAM won three super bowls.

 

[50-yard-line]

The 2014 team > 2007.

Well, that's a statement. I think the 2014 team is one of the best BB ever had - top-to-bottom, it might be the deepest and so would be able to weather an injury storm (which didn't happen).

That said, the 2007 was one in-the-grasp or holding or ridiculous catcH (all on the same damned, damned, damnnd play), or one dropping interception away from being considered, almost certainly, the best team to ever play.

They didn't just win games, they eviscerated any team that stepped before them, with only a couple of exceptions (Ravens, Giants). I've never seen anything like that, and probably never will again. I spent more time giggling (like Moss's performance in Miami) than cheering.

 

[Welka_fan]

Oh my just let it go. By your logic last year's seattle offense was better than 07 pats. Baltimores the year before. They were terrible all year but that postseaaon makes them one of the best offenses in nfl history right? Please explain if not. They were better postseason performers than our 07 pats! Lol

What part of matchups don't you get? 07 pats offense would smoke this teams postseason as well.

Baltimores secondary ranked 23rd. That's between jags and washington. They snuck in playoffs as 6 seed and it showed.

Indianapolis can't stop anybody. Dallas was up 100-0 vs them at halftime a few weeks prior. When Indys offense can't do anything and their d can't stop the run..yes our offense looks amazing. Has the last 3 times we beat them by 20+.

Seattle..Brady put in a g.o.a.t performance, no doubt. But it's hard to argue against all the injuries seattle was facing in their secondary.

If flacco finishes his game winning (stopped by our defense) drive or Seattle runs in from the 1 you would never have posted this.

I'm done w this thread only because i love JE, gronk and the rest of this offense and hate arguing against/discrediting them lol

 

[goheels22002]

2007 and not close

#1 is 2007. Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Kevin Faulk as the 3rd down back separates '07 from all of them, Add in Ben Watson, Donte Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney, and you have a machine at all levels.

#2 is the '96 Patriots with Terry Glenn, Ben Coates, Curtis Martin, Keith Byars, Shawn Jefferson, Sam Gash, Troy Brown with rookie QB Drew Bledsoe. They were the #2 offense in the league

#3 is the '12 Patriots with Gronk, Hernandez, Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Woodhead, Branch, Vereen, Edelman, etc.,

#4 would be the '85 Patriots with Stanley Morgan, Irving Fryar and Tony Collins out of the backfield. Craig James wasn't a bad receiver either.

The 2014 crew might be 5th.

 

[Froob]

Things slowed down and they didnt play well vs san diego and the giants and moss was mostly a no show in the playoffs. When did brady get hurt again was it early vs san diego?

 

[Oswlek]

That doesn't explain the massive drop off from the regular season to the postseason. Seriously, the drop off was enormous. Our passing game in the postseason was atrocious. No, that isn't an exaggeration.

No, but Brady mangling his ankle and the OL crapping the bed does so quite nicely. Do you think this group of WRs puts up 28 points if Tommy can't move and the OL gets pushed around?

 

[PatCat]

I am a little confused, while I agree with that the goal posts have been moved so many times here I cant keep track.

First is was which WR corp was better.
Then is sorta turned into which was better in the playoffs
Now its which was more clutch when it counted.

Why dont we just go with which one won a superbowl. Lets see how the votes go. OK everyone GO!

AKA change the argument to fit your ideology lol. Good points

 

[kudzif]

no it isnt, 07 offense was the reason we lost and 14 offense was the reason we won. For the record I think 07 was better but hit some untimley injuries. Brady sprained ankle was largely ignored. Both losses to the giants were on the offense though injuries or not. You don't win many sbs scoring 14 & 17.

Regardless of how many points were scored; ultimately in the end the offense put the team in virtually the same situation in 07 and 14. How is this fact arguable? The reason we won in 14 was not because the offense scored 28 points it was because butler intercepted Wilson. If there is no Butler interception we would have lost as in 07 but just by a different score.

 

[Fencer]

Tyree made the catch. Butler made the interception. Based on these two events, the 2007 offense was a bunch of post-season losers with lots of weaknesses, and the 2014 team was the best clutch post season offense ever (and the best passing game for the whole season ever).
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It's not just that. There's also the fact that the 2014 offense scored twice as many points in the Super Bowl as the 2007 offense.

Now, reasons have been suggested for that other than the quality of the receivers, such as Brady's health, the OL's health, or Josh McD's coaching. But the people praising the post-season performance of the 2014 receivers vs. the 2007 ones do have legitimate numbers on their side.

 

[Bruins29]

#1 is 2007. Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Kevin Faulk as the 3rd down back separates '07 from all of them, Add in Ben Watson, Donte Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney, and you have a machine at all levels.

#2 is the '96 Patriots with Terry Glenn, Ben Coates, Curtis Martin, Keith Byars, Shawn Jefferson, Sam Gash, Troy Brown with rookie QB Drew Bledsoe. They were the #2 offense in the league

#3 is the '12 Patriots with Gronk, Hernandez, Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Woodhead, Branch, Vereen, Edelman, etc.,

#4 would be the '85 Patriots with Stanley Morgan, Irving Fryar and Tony Collins out of the backfield. Craig James wasn't a bad receiver either.

The 2014 crew might be 5th.

I can see this. The homers will go nuts but that is a great post. I forgot about 96 and how sold they were top to bottom. 2012 came up a few times as well. That 2 TE O was unstopable. 85 was lethal too.

 

[turkeyneck]

No love for Morgan, Jackson, Francis?

 

[PATS16N0]

I think the 2007 offense deserves all due praises, but I also think the 2014 offense was much more clutch, and arguably a lot more dynamic. While it isn't apples to apples, I'm thinking about something Belichick said in his 2009 `A Football's Life` - To paraphrase, "Take away Moss and Welker and we're done."

I think a case could be made that a GOOD postseason defense would rather play the 2007 offense than the 2014 offense.

I'd love to see the PPG comparisons AFTER week #4 and compare them to 2007, since I think the first month of football, prior to the offensive line gelling, skews the stats a lot, and doesn't reflect the 2014 team over all.

A few points:
The 2014 played a more difficult schedule, more division leaders, and (without looking) over all better defenses. 2007 faced 5 top 10 defenses, with one of them being the rank 10 Eagles which just barely squeaks into that category. 2014 CRUSHED a lot of QUALITY teams.

2014's post season offense certainly shatters the 2007 postseason offense.

What the 2014 offense did in the play offs is a million times more impressive than what the 2007 offense did(coming back from two 14 point deficits against our conference rivals kryptonite-defense, annihilated the Colts, 4th quarter, two score comeback against the #1 defense in the league)

Moss vs Gronk isn't a proper comparison.
Moss >
Gronk >

Considering the Dolphins went 1-15 that year, and in 2014 the Dolphins and Bills were chasing wildcard spots late in the season, with much better defenses, I'd say our Division games were probably much harder in 2014.

 

[1960Pats]

I don't think the 2001-2004 WR's and TEs are getting enough credit for their multiple Lombardis, probably because they had such a great defense and no household names back then.

Having said that, as great as Welker and Edelman are, Troy Brown might have more big plays on both sides of the ball and on special teams than those two combined. He was also part of 5 Pats AFC championss and was a key in 3 of the 4 SB wins.

 

[Bruins29]

I don't think the 2001-2004 WR's and TEs are getting enough credit for their multiple Lombardis, probably because they had such a great defense and no household names back then.

Having said that, as great as Welker and Edelman are, Troy Brown might have more big plays on both sides of the ball and on special teams than those two combined. He was also part of 5 Pats AFC championss and was a key in 3 of the 4 SB wins.

Agree 100% Its like everyone forgets this dynasty. Brown has always been next to TB the most clutch Pat ever.

 

[1960Pats]

No love for Morgan, Jackson, Francis?

I'd give them a hug if I saw them.

I bet they all liked SB XLIX, just like we did.

It's a great time to be a Patriot.

 

[FourierSeries]

I don't think the 2001-2004 WR's and TEs are getting enough credit for their multiple Lombardis, probably because they had such a great defense and no household names back then.

Having said that, as great as Welker and Edelman are, Troy Brown might have more big plays on both sides of the ball and on special teams than those two combined. He was also part of 5 Pats AFC championss and was a key in 3 of the 4 SB wins.

True. Troy Brown is more clutch than both. More clutch than Moss, too.

 

[shmessy]

By receiving corps I'm referring to all weapons in the passing game, not just WRs.

Many people will disagree and claim that either the 2007 or 2012 receiving corps are better. If you enjoy gaudy regular season stats then I can see why you'd prefer those receiving corps.

My criteria is the following:

1. Versatility, which allows the coaching staff to game plan from week to week based on the strengths/weaknesses of the opponent.
2. Diversity. A good mix of speed (Edelman, Amendola, Vereen out of the backfield) and size (Gronk, Lafell, Wright.)
3. Physical/mental toughness.
4. Clutch factor. Executing in big moments allows the team to succeed in the postseason.

It's true that the defense played a large part this season. But the offense averaged nearly 29 PPG in the regular season and 36 PPG in the postseason. Granted, only 3 games in the postseason isn't a big sample size, but I believe that's by far the best offensive postseason output we've had. This against two very good defenses and without much help from the run game.

Then you must believe Brady is on a marked decline:

2007 50 TD-8 INT 4,806 Yds
2014 33 TD-9 INT 4,109 Yds

So, when does Garopollo take over?

 

[FourierSeries]

Then you must believe Brady is on a marked decline:

2007 50 TD-8 INT 4,806 Yds
2014 33 TD-9 INT 4,109 Yds

So, when does Garopollo take over?

Those regular stats mean very little. The first 4 games of the year were played with a revolving door at Oline. The final game of the year we sat out our starters. That's 5 games in total that skew the overall stats.

Brady's numbers in the post season in 2014 are infinitely better than in 2007. It's not even close.

 

[1960Pats]

Exactly. Moss was the true definition of a nightmare, just ask revis.

That's not how I remember it. I was surprised how well Revis guarded Moss. I remember one TD where Revis got caught looking at Moss on a quick strike to the left, but for the most part Revis did better than anyone else against Moss.