arrellbee
Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job
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Rather than start a new thread, this looks like a good place.
It's interesting to ponder as to whether or not there is a new generation of 'playmakers' to step up and take their place in Patriots lore.
Certainly, we all recognize that the "Patriots Way" is based on really solid or top contributors and great offenseive and defensive schemes.
We all realize that the Patriots apparently can win, even win superbowls, without a lot of the big name 'stars' that other teams seem to feel are their ticket to glory (and prove themselves wrong continuously).
Nevertheless, we also know that having key pro-bowl caliber players (whether they get selected or not) is awfully critical to the Patriots success. Obvious names are Brady, Seymour, Bruschi, and Harrison.
But what we don't talk about very much is how huge a role outstanding plays have been in being able to get 3 superbowl wins. But any really perceptive fan observer has to be so very much aware of how many of these plays - many by inches or less - had to be strung together in order to win enough regular season games and playoff games. It is actually somewhat dismaying to realize that if even one of those plays wasn't made it could have ended a season short without a superbowl. How they strung all of those games and plays together is amazing to me. 2001 is obvious. But even 2004, you had to have those plays or there wouldn't have been a third trophy.
So who are some of the players now gone who made some of these critical plays ?
Ty Law
McGinest
Vinatieri
Most receivers with at least one key catch: Patten, Dwight, Davis, Givens, Branch
There are probably numerous others who made a critical play that kept the team alive to go on and win that you can think of.
So now we sit back and ask who's going to step up and make those absolutely necessary key plays by inches here and there to keep us alive for another superbowl.
This thread starts out talking about guys already this season. Banta-Cain and Warren, Wilfork and Davis, Brady and Faulk, Hobbs shutting down Evans. Whether these guys continue to make critical plays in the future - or enough to get into a McGinest category - who knows.
Other potential players that seem very possible to step up ? Perhaps Maroney, Watson, Hobbs, Gostkowski, ....
And we definitely need receivers to step up. Can Jackson be that kind of a guy ? Can Caldwell and/or Gabriel make those occasional critical catches like, for example, Tim Dwight did ?
We'll begin to know as the season progresses. And especially in the playoffs. Hopefully we have the necessary new 'playmakers' to continue the glory run.
It's interesting to ponder as to whether or not there is a new generation of 'playmakers' to step up and take their place in Patriots lore.
Certainly, we all recognize that the "Patriots Way" is based on really solid or top contributors and great offenseive and defensive schemes.
We all realize that the Patriots apparently can win, even win superbowls, without a lot of the big name 'stars' that other teams seem to feel are their ticket to glory (and prove themselves wrong continuously).
Nevertheless, we also know that having key pro-bowl caliber players (whether they get selected or not) is awfully critical to the Patriots success. Obvious names are Brady, Seymour, Bruschi, and Harrison.
But what we don't talk about very much is how huge a role outstanding plays have been in being able to get 3 superbowl wins. But any really perceptive fan observer has to be so very much aware of how many of these plays - many by inches or less - had to be strung together in order to win enough regular season games and playoff games. It is actually somewhat dismaying to realize that if even one of those plays wasn't made it could have ended a season short without a superbowl. How they strung all of those games and plays together is amazing to me. 2001 is obvious. But even 2004, you had to have those plays or there wouldn't have been a third trophy.
So who are some of the players now gone who made some of these critical plays ?
Ty Law
McGinest
Vinatieri
Most receivers with at least one key catch: Patten, Dwight, Davis, Givens, Branch
There are probably numerous others who made a critical play that kept the team alive to go on and win that you can think of.
So now we sit back and ask who's going to step up and make those absolutely necessary key plays by inches here and there to keep us alive for another superbowl.
This thread starts out talking about guys already this season. Banta-Cain and Warren, Wilfork and Davis, Brady and Faulk, Hobbs shutting down Evans. Whether these guys continue to make critical plays in the future - or enough to get into a McGinest category - who knows.
Other potential players that seem very possible to step up ? Perhaps Maroney, Watson, Hobbs, Gostkowski, ....
And we definitely need receivers to step up. Can Jackson be that kind of a guy ? Can Caldwell and/or Gabriel make those occasional critical catches like, for example, Tim Dwight did ?
We'll begin to know as the season progresses. And especially in the playoffs. Hopefully we have the necessary new 'playmakers' to continue the glory run.
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