Thoughts from rewatching Patriots SB wins against Carolina and Eagles

[Koma]

Yeah Givens was super underrated, him and Branch are two of the most clutch receivers to ever play the game.

What's impressive to me is that, in his rookie season, Givens had some costly drops. In the offseason, he improved and became a reliable receiver.

James White did the same thing between this year and last year. In both the AFCCG against Denver and the SB against the Falcons, he was targeted 16 times. Against Denver, he only had 5 receptions. A year later, against Atlanta, he had 14.

 

[brdmaverick]

What's impressive to me is that, in his rookie season, Givens had some costly drops. In the offseason, he improved and became a reliable receiver.

James White did the same thing between this year and last year. In both the AFCCG against Denver and the SB against the Falcons, he was targeted 16 times. Against Denver, he only had 5 receptions. A year later, against Atlanta, he had 14.

Those are some good stats you are pointing out. While they are 'telling' let's also keep in mind the difference in defenses the pats were playing between the two games. I recall some of those missed targets against hte Broncos were down the field passes which hadn't really been a strength of White. Given the smothering defense though, that's what the Pats offense had to resort to.

 

[mosslost]

I'll add a couple:

1. I forgot how good Deion Branch was.
2. I forgot how great of a game that Carolina Super Bowl was.
3. Tom Brady is a MUCH better qb now than he was then.
4. I forgot how vital Vrabel was to the goal line passing game.

>> Tom Brady is a MUCH better qb now than he was then.
THIS

It is amazing to me to think he is sooo much better now really than his entire 20s. If he can play like this I see no reason or motivation to retire.

 

[captain stone]

One of my thoughts after watching SBs 38 & 39:

The talent on the 01-04 teams was much greater than that of the 14-16 teams.

 

[PittPatriot]

Givens was a beast in the playoffs. I feel like all his TDs were scored in the postseason.

Or big moments like the near last-second TD to win @Denver following the intentionally safety in 2003.

 

[brdmaverick]

Or big moments like the near last-second TD to win @Denver following the intentionally safety in 2003.

I was excited by the LaFell signing in 2014 b/c I felt like he was the same mold as Givens, a physical possesion receiver. LaFell did play that role to a degree.

I'm cautiously optimistic that Floyd will stick around and play that role for us next year.

 

[PittPatriot]

I was excited by the LaFell signing in 2014 b/c I felt like he was the same mold as Givens, a physical possesion receiver. LaFell did play that role to a degree.

I'm cautiously optimistic that Floyd will stick around and play that role for us next year.

Floyd looks like a bigger Givens.
I know Branch had the big numbers, but Givens had some great grabs.

It makes me appreciate the list of tough, smart receivers that have come through our program and found success (sometimes after or before maybe NOT finding success elsewhere).
I have a dream that TB12 comes out with a 5 receiver set of Troy Brown, Deion Branch, Wes Welker, David Givens, and JE11.

It would be great to have Faulk or Woody in the backfield but Brady would get sacked in less than 2.5 seconds.

 

[BTTA]

13. When joined with the dozen or so replays of Super Bowl 51, after watching both the Carolina Super Bowl and the Eagles Super Bowl, my wife has decided I've seen enough football lately.

Yesterday, I got "this is a sickness" from mine, in response to replay after replay.

 

[patriot1136]

I finally watched a decent amount of the losses too. That 2011 game...they should have got Gronk out of the game. Not good.

Still there for the taking though...at least Hermandez never got a ring.

I hate to rehash the 2011 game but if certain things went our way, Hernandez could have potentially been the MVP, if not Brady. He had a pretty good game for us. In the grand scheme of things, karma or otherwise, I guess it worked out for the best.

 

[brdmaverick]

One of my thoughts after watching SBs 38 & 39:

The talent on the 01-04 teams was much greater than that of the 14-16 teams.

That's an interesting observation. To be honest, I think the 2001 and 2002 teams were far inferior to many Patriots recent teams. The 03/04 Pats though, no argument there. Those teams were the real deal.

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

13. When joined with the dozen or so replays of Super Bowl 51, after watching both the Carolina Super Bowl and the Eagles Super Bowl, my wife has decided I've seen enough football lately.

Luckily for me, my wife is game to rewatch. Maybe even more than me. We watched all of the Patriots super bowls, except the unmentionable ones, this weekend.

We've watch 51 at least 7 or 8 times so far.
We watched 51 last night on youtube.

And I caught the 4th qtr and OT this morning on NFLN.

I love it.

 

[Pats Fanatic]

SB 38 I thunk is a joy to watch. I try to watch it at least once a year. The pats defense was so good that year, they did not allow on play over 30 yards that year until the SB were Carolina had 3 for some reason, I blame the the stripper referee. You can see Brady morphing to a great QB, so cool and confident.
Even Phil Simms wasn't so Phil Simms. I liked him better paired with Greg Gumbel anyway.

 

[1960Pats]

Or big moments like the near last-second TD to win @Denver following the intentionally safety in 2003.

That's a game I would like to watch again.

 

[captain stone]

... they did not allow one play over 30 yards that year until the SB where Carolina had 3 for some reason, I blame the the stripper referee...

I blame Geno Wilson and especially Tyrone Poole. Man did that guy suck.