with brady, do we go 16-0 in 2008?

[wolverinejoe80]

i would say we had 30-40% chance of doing it. more i think about it, we would've been sick that year with that weak schedule. vengeance tour at its best. if we lose a game that year it would be against miami 'wildcats'.

and something dawned on me if brady was healthy in 08

2007 - 50tds, mvp
2008 - 40-43tds, mvp?
2009 - 35-39tds, possible mvp (brady threw 28tds while looking like a donkey that year)
2010 - 36tds unanimous mvp
2011 - 39tds top 3 mvp


seriously, brady could've had greatest 5 year stretch ever. and we would've been clear cut favorite to win the SB in 08 and 09.

but i think brady's 2008 was alot like MJ retiring from basketball. it helped him in a long run. fueling his fire even more.

but i can't help but wonder what we would've done that year.

 

[JMC00]

Not sure about 16-0. But probably make it back to the SB and win.

 

[FourierSeries]

No, we go 19-0.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Between losing SB 42 in the winter, going without a 1st round pick in in the spring, losing Brady in the season opener in the Fall, and failing to make the playoffs, 2008 might've been the most unfortunate year in Belichick-Brady era ...

 

[VectorPrime]

No. Freaky weird things had to happen for the Patriots to go 16-0 in 07, and they were a better team then.

And with Brady we still lose that first game against Miami because the defense literally couldn't stop the Wildcat for a single play.

A Super Bowl win would have been possible though.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Probably not, because if the 2007 Pats play 10 seasons, I think they go undefeated once. It just takes too many lucky bounces. Go back and rewatch the Colts and Ravens games from that season, and there were points in both games where I'd bet their win probability was hovering around 10-20%.

That said, I think the 2008 team with Brady would be at least as good as the 2007 team, maybe better thanks to Seymour playing on two legs and Mayo being really good as a rookie, plus Meriweather becoming as serviceable as he'd ever be (all of which offsets the loss of Samuel and various injuries, IMO). Plus they were playing against an easier schedule. So yeah, while you should never bet on any team going 16-0, the 2008 Patriots w/ Brady would be the 'safest' bet maybe ever. Still a bad bet though.

 

[Shockt327]

No. 2008 was when Vrabel pretty much fizzled out. No more Asante. Colvin was in injured in 07 and came back briefly for 08; but on a bad note, too. Seau and Bruschi were too far gone. Ty Warren was injured.

I agree, Brady's stats would've been better. But it makes me cringe to think about '08 and '09; the team badly needed to rebuild, and 2010 was when we saw that start to happen.

 

[nabwong]

We have Rex Ryan to thank for calling a timeout in 2007.

 

[PATS16N0]

Easily. 2008 Brady would of smoked that schedule.

Steelers never in a million years advance to that Superbowl with Brady in the mix. Doesn't happen

Steelers 2008 Superbowl championship*

 

[RayClay]

?

 

[Canuck]

No, I don't think we go 16-0 but I think we win the division, probably go at least 12-4 and more probably go 13-3. We would have a first run bye for best record, if not win the wild card playoff round. Probably have to play Steelers and Ravens in the Divisional and Conference Championship where if we lucky we make it to back to back SB but we win this one.

Surely if Cassel can get 11 wins, Brady should be good for 1 or 2 more wins in the regular season if he had been healthy.

 

[PATS16N0]

No, I don't think we go 16-0 but I think we win the division, probably go at least 12-4 and more probably go 13-3. We would have a first run bye for best record, if not win the wild card playoff round. Probably have to play Steelers and Ravens in the Divisional and Conference Championship where if we lucky we make it to back to back SB but we win this one.

Surely if Cassel can get 11 wins, Brady should be good for 1 or 2 more wins in the regular season if he had been healthy.

Cassel lost to every team we played with a winning record. He didn't do ****. That season was ugly as hell coming off of 2007. Cassel's production is 8 less wins than Tom Brady, against weaker opponents.

If Cassel gets 11, Tom gets 19 and wins the Pro Bowl just cuz

 

[TommyD4207]

No way.

The Patriots got ****kicked by Miami Week 3, they're not winning that game no matter who the QB is. Same with the beatdown in San Diego.

They probably don't turn it over 5 times against Pittsburgh, but the OT loss to the Jets, I don't think Brady could have outplayed Cassel. He was ****ing brilliant in that game, and the game-tying TD to Moss was still, in my mind, the best throw I've ever seen by a Patriots QB.

Came back from 24-6 to tie the game, Cassel was 31-50 for 400 yds and 3 TDs. He was awesome. The defense lost that game. And the San Diego and Miami games too, for that matter.

12-4 and win the division? Maybe. Maybe you win @Colts, Patriots couldn't convert in the red zone, and Manning didn't have his best day. Maybe they have a better chance against the Steelers?

So yeah, maybe you get into the playoffs if Brady's at QB that season, but it's certainly not an undefeated season by any means. That defense was an absolute shell of what it was even in 2007, never mind 2004. They were still mostly smart and in the right places, but there were no playmakers, and couldn't turn the ball over.

 

[Brady_2_Moss]

Not sure about 16-0, but it was a shame that we were cheated out of a season of Brady/Moss in their prime. Could have been a spectacular year for sure, but that's football.

 

[Brewskies]

Win 16-0, No. I would like to but with all the hatred towards the Pats and every other team bringing their A game because it is the SB Champs. No way. I'll be happy with a SB win.

 

[supafly]

Between losing SB 42 in the winter, going without a 1st round pick in in the spring, losing Brady in the season opener in the Fall, and failing to make the playoffs, 2008 might've been the most unfortunate year in Belichick-Brady era ...

The Patriots selected Jerod Mayo with the 10th overall pick in the 2008 draft, which was the 49ers original pick previously acquired through a trade.

Otherwise, I agree with your point.

 

[supafly]

No way.

The Patriots got ****kicked by Miami Week 3, they're not winning that game no matter who the QB is. Same with the beatdown in San Diego.

They probably don't turn it over 5 times against Pittsburgh, but the OT loss to the Jets, I don't think Brady could have outplayed Cassel. He was ****ing brilliant in that game, and the game-tying TD to Moss was still, in my mind, the best throw I've ever seen by a Patriots QB.

Came back from 24-6 to tie the game, Cassel was 31-50 for 400 yds and 3 TDs. He was awesome. The defense lost that game. And the San Diego and Miami games too, for that matter.

12-4 and win the division? Maybe. Maybe you win @Colts, Patriots couldn't convert in the red zone, and Manning didn't have his best day. Maybe they have a better chance against the Steelers?

So yeah, maybe you get into the playoffs if Brady's at QB that season, but it's certainly not an undefeated season by any means. That defense was an absolute shell of what it was even in 2007, never mind 2004. They were still mostly smart and in the right places, but there were no playmakers, and couldn't turn the ball over.

People often forget that the 2007 defense gave up 17.1 points per game. It was an excellent defense.

They tend to remember the awesome offensive output, but overlook that very good 2007 defense for some reason, and yes--Adalius Thomas was a nice piece of that defense and was having a good year in 2008 as well until he broke his arm halfway through the season.

The 2006 defense was damn nasty as well. Either way, I agree with you about your record prediction at 12-4, maybe 13-3 at best. Of course we don't know what would've happened in the postseason, but I wouldn't assume a SB victory based on the change in defense alone.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

No. bruschi And harrison also went on ir.
Vrabel underwent a sharp decline that year. Zero pass rush in general.
our starting cbs were ellis hobbs and deltha oneil.
The wildcat game would have happened w or wo brady, and he hardly ever lights up miami.

 

[DarrylS]

The Pats will win between 11-13 games this year, going 16-0 takes a lot of luck and a lot of things going their way..

The way these injuries are shaping up, wonder if they can dress 47 guys on Sept 10....

 

[willard]

No to 16-0, the defense was beginning to break down that year. yes to making the playoffs and then who knows. We made the superbowl in 2011.