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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.Yeah, he didn't win a SB for us, he didn't even play in that SB. He was 10-21 for 102 yards and threw 1 TD after being spotted the ball on Pitt's 40 yard line in the 2nd quarter of the AFCCG. Special teams accounted for 17 of the Patriots 24 points. I don't understand the need for exaggeration whenever Bledsoe is involved.
son??...where have you BEEN????
Yeah, he didn't win a SB for us, he didn't even play in that SB. He was 10-21 for 102 yards and threw 1 TD after being spotted the ball on Pitt's 40 yard line in the 2nd quarter of the AFCCG. Special teams accounted for 17 of the Patriots 24 points. I don't understand the need for exaggeration whenever Bledsoe is involved.
Congratulations to Drew Bledsoe! Bledsoe turned this franchise around from being 'lovable losers' to 'actual contenders' every year. Who remembers a perennial losing team led by forgettable QBs such as Secules, Hodson or Millen? Who remembers seeing televised games where fans wore paper bags on their heads because they would be ashamed to be recognized in public? Who remembers dark seasons of 1-15, 2-14, and being the cellar dweller doormats of the AFC East?
The arrival of Drew Bledsoe in 1993 heralded a new era that would banish such memories from existence. Under Drew Bledsoe and donning new laundry, the Pats finally became a respectable team, a team that played in the postseason on a regular basis. Bledsoe led the Pats to the Superbowl in 96, losing to the Favre led Packers. And arguably Desmond Howard had as much to do with the Packers win as Favre did.
Let's also not forget Bledsoe's contributions in the AFC championship game against Pitt in 2001 when Brady was hurt. Bledsoe has been a class act, a consummate professional, and most importantly he brought a new tradition of WINNING to New England. In short, Drew really deserves this award. Well done sir, you will live on in the fans memories as well as in the Patriots Hall of Fame.
They need to make some type of provision for the veterans as well, Antwine deserved it also..
I've never been big on the 'saved the franchise' type stuff, and have always found it ridiculous to give credit to 1993-1998 for what happened from 2001 and after, but Bledsoe was the QB of a team that was as pass heavy as just about any in history and made the playoffs 4 out of 5 years. (And in his defense the one they didnt he played hurt all year)Some of you need to come back down to Earth in your over the top praises and fabrications of Drew Bledsoe, who I hear is a classy guy. He was not a consummate professional after he lost his job, and a consummate professional would probably work a little harder at his craft than Bledsoe did. You talk about the dark seasons preceding Bledsoe but his record from the midpoint of 1999 to when he was replaced by Brady was 7-19.
Under Bledsoe, the Patriots were a .500 team, the 1976-1988 teams were much better than that, and the post Bledsoe teams are off the charts better.
1976 11-3
1977 9-5
1978 11-5
1979 9-7
1980 10-6
1981 2-14
1982 5-4
1983 8-8
1984 9-7
1985 11-5
1986 11-5
1987 8-7
1988 9-7 1976-1988 1 losing season 113-83 .576 win pct.
1989 5-11
1990 1-15
1991 6-10 1989-1992 4 losing seasons 14-50 .218 win pct
1992 2-14 1976-1992 127-123 .508 win pct.
1993 5-11 Bledsoe (5-7)
1994 10-6
1995 6-10
1996 11-5
1997 10-6
1998 9-7 1993-2000 The Bledsoe years 64-64 .500 win pct.
1999 8-8 Bledsoe's record as Pat's starting QB 63-60 .512 win pct.
2000 5-11
2001 11-5 (Bledsoe 0-2)
2002 9-7
2003 14-2
2004 14-2
2005 10-6
2006 12-4
2007 16-0
2008 11-5
2009 10-6
2010 14-2 Patriots record since Bledsoe was replaced 121-37 .766 win pct
As for leading them to the playoffs, its more like the defense led them to the playoffs, dominated in the playoffs and got to the SB in spite of the QB play. Here are his playoff stats. 6 touchdowns 12 interceptions and a dreadful completion percentage
1994 vs Cle 21-50 235 yds 1 td 3 int Pats lose 20-13
1996 vs Pit 14-24 164 yds 1 td 2 int Pats win 28-3
1996 vs Jax 20-33 178 yds 0 td 1 int Pats win 20-6
1996 vs GB 24-48 253 yds 2 td 4 int Pats lose 35-21
1997 vs Mia 16-32 139 yds 1 td 0 int Pats win 17-3
1997 vs Pit 23-44 264 yds 0 td 2 int Pats lose 7-6
In 1996 they got to the Super Bowl because the defense gave up 9 points combined in their two playoff games. Bledsoe threw 4 interceptions in the Super Bowl.
In 1997 they were eliminated despite having the defense give up only 9 points combined in their two playoff games. Bledsoe led offense couldn't muster more than 6 points against Pitt.
In the 2001 AFCCG he was 10-21 for 102 with 1 td when he was spotted the ball on Pitts 40 yard line.
Special Teams accounted for the other 17 Points the Pats scored in that game, you want to give someone credit for leading the Pats to victory try Troy Brown as well as the defense.
I've never been big on the 'saved the franchise' type stuff, and have always found it ridiculous to give credit to 1993-1998 for what happened from 2001 and after, but Bledsoe was the QB of a team that was as pass heavy as just about any in history and made the playoffs 4 out of 5 years. (And in his defense the one they didnt he played hurt all year)
No QB has ever done more with running games ranked in the bottom 5 of the league (all 4 of the Pats playoff teams under Bledsoe were bottom 5 in rushing) so he deserves recognition.
I do not believe we would have ever won a SB if Drew Bledsoe was the starting QB up through 2004, but being the most important player on a team that reached the playoffs 4 times, IMO, says he belongs in the team HOF.
TOTALLY agree that many fans used compiling of stats to replace what they saw on the field to justify who they hoped he would be. I kind of did to, but only to the extent of keeping hope alive that he would become what we hoped. At the end of the day, he had a tremendous arm, but a poor understanding of decision making. Those guys compile stats but underachieve in the big picture.I have no problem with him getting into the team's HOF at all, although I think Antwine has waited long enough and Bledsoe could have waited another year. I recognize he played an important role in one era of the franchise but so did many before him.
I do think that because he never actually became the player people thought he was, they overstate his actual accomplishments.
Oh, of course not. He brought a decent level of success (won half the games, made the playoffs half the time, with mediocre playoff results) on the heels of a down time. But all teams have down times and up times. Going from poor to pretty good isnt an earth shattering, once in a lifetime accomplishment, as some want to make that out to be.VJC said Bledsoe brought a new tradition of winning, I don't agree with that.
No one wants to include what happen more than 5 years before he was here, yet the same people want to give Parcells credit for building the dnyasty that started 5 years after he left.As I pointed out, 1976-1988 had only 1 losing season out of 13, Bledsoe's team had 3 losing seasons out of 8, they won as often as they lost from 1993-2000 (64-64).
Agreed.Bledsoe did not play well in the playoffs either, the 1996 and 1997 had very good and underrated defenses, they gave up only 9 points in two games on the way to the SB, Bledsoe throwing 4 pics in that game all but assured the loss.
Yes. Bledsoe play in that game was not good, and held the team back more than it contributed to the win.To act like Bledsoe came in and won the 2001 AFCCG is also very deceiving, he got them into the end zone only once and that was when he took over on Pitts 40 yard line. Special Teams won that game.
understoodI was trying to balance out some of the what I think are over the top statements regarding Bledsoe, some of the things I read I just have to respond to, I can't help it.
I'm sorry, perhaps you should post a schedule of the times it is inappropriate to not pretend he was more than he actually was and ignore his flaws.No Bledsoe thread would be complete without people going out of their way to slag the guy off.
Even when he's being voted into the team's HOF.
Classy, as usual.