Most pleasant surprise Patriot of 2010

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Who was your most pleasant surprise player of 2010?

This would mean the player you were most shocked with having an outstanding season.

All of my choices would be worthy but you can only pick ONE

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Many fine choices but McCourty takes it hands down. We don't have this 14-2 season without him IMO.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Woodhead by far IMO I didn't expect anything from him and now he's a huge weapon.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Many fine choices but McCourty takes it hands down. We don't have this 14-2 season without him IMO.

Very true but one guy who may not get credit here in this poll may be the most valuable on offense...Deion Branch

Brandon Tate was supposed to be the guy to replace Moss and provide the deeper threat but since Tate has disappointed I don't know how the offense would have been anywhere near as good without Branch returning home.

You can probably go on and on about any player on this list whose absence would have made going 14-2 very tough

 

[borg]

I can't call the #1 pick a surprise. Woodhead, on the other hand....went from being just another body to...the X Factor. The offense opens up with him on the field because defenses must defend both run and pass. The Oline works their most creative blocking schemes with Woodhead in the backfield, and he has the knack of finding the hole.

 

[Peachhead]

I voted for Connolly. The other guys on the list rock, no doubt about it. But the question was who was the most pleasant *surprise*. With Mankins taking half a year off i was pretty sure our O-line was screwed. Doubly screwed when Kaczur went down. But Connolly filled in very well at LG, then at RG when Neal went down.

 

[TriplecHamp]

I voted for Connolly. The other guys on the list rock, no doubt about it. But the question was who was the most pleasant *surprise*. With Mankins taking half a year off i was pretty sure our O-line was screwed. Doubly screwed when Kaczur went down. But Connolly filled in very well at LG, then at RG when Neal went down.

 

[Dufflebagz]

This is tough....

Woodhead, McCourty, Ninkovich, and Lawfirm are all good choices IMO.

Woodhead - A lot of people had never even heard of the guy, but I was lucky enough to see him in the 2008 preseason, he had a big game and I kept an eye out for him from then on. I never thought he would make this big of an impact for any team though.

McCourty - The fact that this was the guy that BB wanted in the draft was comforting. I figured he would the 3rd....maybe 2nd CB, but when Bodden went down was worried that he would have to step in right away....he's now a pro bowler.

Ninkovich - Who saw this kind of performance coming...probably our best OLB right now.

BJGE - 4th string RB to start the season, some people thought he wouldn't make the team. He is now our 1st 1,000 yard rusher since Corey Dillon.

I can't pick just one.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

I was gonna say Woodhead cuz I loves me some woodhead, but I had to go with McCourty cuz the O was ok last year but our D needed a lot of help.

 

[BlueString94]

Branch by far! You guys forgetting those awesome times of Brady Branch? Yea, they didn't give the razzle dazzle of Brady Moss, but Branch shattered teams in the clutch. Remember SB 39, where he tied Jerry Rice(!)'s record for catches? Or this year against the Ravens where he moved the chains in overtime straight to the victory?

And yea, Woodhead's pretty good too

 

[Joker]

the return to the "Patriot Way" of doing things and the actions of all 53 players on the roster working toward a common goal as one...no ridiculous cancers like Thomas or Springs...the excisement of Moss ...the work ethic of the rooks...the return of the "peak in December" Patriots...THAT has been MY most pleasant surprise...

 

[Bertil]

I had to go with McCourty. After an extremely disappointing season in '09, where there were so many (by Patriot standards) collapses as well as the playoff blowout, the Defense was highly suspect going into '10. This was even before the Bodden injury. McCourty solidified the position right at the outset and got better as the year progressed. I cannot imagine the year unfolding like this, if not for his stellar play.

 

[Bella*chick]

I went with Ninkovich. I mean, people were calling him "Stinkovich" at the beginning of the season. I remember reading a comment that said he might be the worst player in the NFL.

Woodhead is a close second though. I can't go with Branch because I was not really surprised he has had a huge impact. Ecstatic, yes, surprised, no.

 

[fulltilt]

the return to the "Patriot Way" of doing things and the actions of all 53 players on the roster working toward a common goal as one...no ridiculous cancers like Thomas or Springs...the excisement of Moss ...the work ethic of the rooks...the return of the "peak in December" Patriots...THAT has been MY most pleasant surprise...

I couldn't agree more.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Close between Connolly and McCourty for me. McCourty I thought would be a solid starter and he became a stud. With Bodden's injury and Butler's early struggles we'd be screwed without him stepping up like that. Connolly because I really thought the OL was going to struggle with the Mankins holdout and a potential Neal injury with his health being so fragile. Without Connolly holding his own and the OL playing as well as it did as a unit, our offense does not have the monster year it has and perhaps we lose a few of those early season games while our defense struggled.

Woodhead deserves some love as a runner up, to think we'd lose a guy like Kevin Faulk and his replacement would be probably even better as a runner/reciever and still solid in blitz pickup is amazing.

 

[ausbacker]

Conventional wisdom says Connolly or McCourty hands down. I actually voted for Arrington. He's gone from looking like a corner street hooker with the defensive nous of a tadpole to serviceable corner doing his job and playmaking ability.

 

[Franchise12]

I'm going with McCourty hands down. So many patriot fans were dissapointed and underwhelmed with this pick. many viewed him as a glorified special teams player who could possibly be he 3rd corner. Some even questioned bill belichicks drafting prowess with "sexy" names like sergio kindle and kyle wilson still on the board. All mccourty's done since then is become one of the best corners in the national football league and earn a probowl spot alongside names like Asomugha and Revis.

 

[D-cleater]

I would have to go with BenJarvis ... I loved the McCourty and Gronkowski picks and they've proven their worth. Hernandez looking like Dallas Clark, Branch picking up right where he left with Brady and of course Danny Woodhead's long overdue arrival to the NFL are all great surprises, but I have to honestly say that when Maroney was traded I thought our running game would be dependent on Fred Taylor, and I was not that optimistic. But who can honestly say that they expected BJGE to get 1000 yds and tie for third in the league in TD's? Most of what I remember reading in this forum, and from writers like Mike Reiss, was that BenJarvis wouldn't make the final 53, and didn't have the skills to be anything more than a backup in the NFL. As a fan of smash-mouth style football, having to watch Dancing with the Stars tiptoe for a loss the last few years, watching BJGE pound the rock has been the most pleasant surprise of all.

 

[Kontradiction]

It has to be Woodhead. People expected at least a little bit out of McCourty and the rest of the rookies. Woodhead was picked up off the trash heap (for lack of a better word) and turned into one of our best weapons on offense.

 

[Kdo5]

Branch, Benjarvus, and McCourty were the most satisfying. For Benny, the UDFA, to see him break 1000 yards was a great moment. Deion's return has been a real feel good story. He's made a bunch of plays and been great for the offense.

But the real story is McCourty. I knew he'd be a great corner some day but I never expected him to have an all pro rookie year. Way to go, Devin!