Add One Former Patriot to this team

[jimnance]

This may not be THE guy, but since all the best choices have been represented already, I’ll go a bit different: 03/04 Deion Branch. He and Brady shared a brain, and having him to work outside the numbers while Edelman and Gronk tear up the middle of the field would give Brady three guaranteed safe options. I don’t think we’d get stopped on 3rd down with those three.

Not as explosive as Moss, but efficient as hell.

If you're gonna go there, you gotta take Stanley Morgan. I like Branch, but he wasn't in Morgan's class.

 

[jimnance]

Give me another shut down corner opposite Gilmore. I'll take Ty law

Mike Haynes says hello.

 

[pazrul72]

The entire BB era, and for just this one game? Top 5:

1. Moss (2007)
   
2. Seymour (Prime years)
   
3. Wilfork (Prime years)
4. Welker (Prime years)
5. Revis (2014)

There are a lot of tough omits, but those would be the top 5 choices, and probably in the order listed. I could see flipping Seymour and Wilfork, depending on the game plan.

I am curious why you have Moss number one when it hasn't been the offense, exception Steelers game, letting the team down all year. They were still the number 4 offense in the league despite down years from Brady, Gronk, and Eldeman. The secondary has been quite good so I understand Revis or Law being lower on the list. I keep coming back to the 2011 playoff game against the ravens when wilfork went up against Yanda and almost single handedly made that offense his b#$ch. Best game I have ever seen a NT play cuz there was no one else any good on D that year. We get that guy for this game and I see no way the Rams win as now they can't run and with the current secondary passing will also be tough. Clear #1 option to me and I wanted to hear a counter arguement.

 

[jimnance]

Nevermind. Just saw the "BB" era qualifier.
Just a reminder that the Patriots existed prior to 2000. They had some great teams and great players.
If you're gonna rank Patriots all time best players, many at the top of the list were pre-BB/TB:
1. TB
2. Hannah
3. Haynes
Top 3 are pretty much indisputable, all 3 have many knowledgeable people calling them GOAT at their respective positions.
I think Andre Tippet has a strong case for #4.

 

[goheels22002]

Andre Tippett or Richard Seymour.

 

[Deus Irae]

I am curious why you have Moss number one when it hasn't been the offense, exception Steelers game, letting the team down all year. They were still the number 4 offense in the league despite down years from Brady, Gronk, and Eldeman. The secondary has been quite good so I understand Revis or Law being lower on the list. I keep coming back to the 2011 playoff game against the ravens when wilfork went up against Yanda and almost single handedly made that offense his b#$ch. Best game I have ever seen a NT play cuz there was no one else any good on D that year. We get that guy for this game and I see no way the Rams win as now they can't run and with the current secondary passing will also be tough. Clear #1 option to me and I wanted to hear a counter arguement.

Randy Moss (2007) is the second greatest Patriot of the BB era, and he's at a position of relative weakness. In 2007, he was still so good that he needed 2, and sometimes 3, defenders defending him if he was going to be stopped. He would force the Rams to completely change their defensive game plan.*









And, before anyone starts to argue Gronk over Moss, note that Gronk's already on the team, so he doesn't count.

 

[pazrul72]

Randy Moss (2007) is the second greatest Patriot of the BB era, and he's at a position of relative weakness. In 2007, he was still so good that he needed 2, and sometimes 3, defenders defending him if he was going to be stopped. He would force the Rams to completely change their defensive game plan.*









And, before anyone starts to argue Gronk over Moss, note that Gronk's already on the team, so he doesn't count.

Agreed Moss was a terror in 07 and totally revamps the offense but I keep coming back to who's better, Gronk, Eldeman, Hogan, and White....or Brown and Sheldon. Brady already has some decent though not spectacular weapons that he makes better. The only way to stop the run is give up coverage and run blitz.

 

[goheels22002]

The entire BB era, and for just this one game? Top 5:

1. Moss (2007)
   
2. Seymour (Prime years)
   
3. Wilfork (Prime years)
4. Welker (Prime years)
5. Revis (2014)

There are a lot of tough omits, but those would be the top 5 choices, and probably in the order listed. I could see flipping Seymour and Wilfork, depending on the game plan.

The top need is on the defensive side of the ball, I think.

If I was going to put a DB on this team, I'd put Rodney Harrison in there to maintain order in the secondary, rattle Gurley's teeth at the second level, and blitz Goff before I'd put Revis (in his Patriots tenure) on this team. If I could have the 2009 version of Revis when he was a genuine shutdown corner, that would helpful against the Rams.

Still, given the needs of this particular team, I'd take Andre Tippett #1, Richard Seymour #2, and Vince Wilfork #3.

 

[Nunchucks]

Ted washington

 

[Deus Irae]

Agreed Moss was a terror in 07 and totally revamps the offense but I keep coming back to who's better, Gronk, Eldeman, Hogan, and White....or Brown and Sheldon. Brady already has some decent though not spectacular weapons that he makes better. The only way to stop the run is give up coverage and run blitz.

The top need is on the defensive side of the ball, I think.

If I was going to put a DB on this team, I'd put Rodney Harrison in there to maintain order in the secondary, rattle Gurley's teeth at the second level, and blitz Goff before I'd put Revis (in his Patriots tenure) on this team. If I could have the 2009 version of Revis when he was a genuine shutdown corner, that would helpful against the Rams.

Still, given the needs of this particular team, I'd take Andre Tippett #1, Richard Seymour #2, and Vince Wilfork #3.

I think people forget just how devastating the Brady-Moss connection was to opponents. In the history of the NFL, there has never been a duo to compare with 2007 Brady-Moss. It's not that I don't see the issue at DL (You can go back to the thread about the Shelton acquisition to see that I've been talking about this season's DL problems for a long time), it's that adding Moss would stress the Rams more than any other addition.

And I would put safety down at the bottom of the list of positions needing the helpful additions in this game, so Rodney isn't even a thought for me.

 

[LJRomanoff]

Wow. Nobody went for Mike Haynes.
Considered by many to be the best cb all time. No worse than top 3. Gilmore and Haynes? Hands down the best cb duo all time.
Oth, secondary is already a strength,just like ol, which justifies not taking Hannah.
Dl weakest unit. So guess it's gotta be Sey or Big Vince.

Haynes didn't play for Belichick.

 

[LJRomanoff]

Nevermind. Just saw the "BB" era qualifier.
Just a reminder that the Patriots existed prior to 2000. They had some great teams and great players.
If you're gonna rank Patriots all time best players, many at the top of the list were pre-BB/TB:
1. TB
2. Hannah
3. Haynes
Top 3 are pretty much indisputable, all 3 have many knowledgeable people calling them GOAT at their respective positions.
I think Andre Tippet has a strong case for #4.

I don't disagree with any of this but it wasn't the question asked.

 

[mcmurtry86]

Moss or Seymour.

 

[dtbrks]

Rodney Harrison or Ty law.

 

[Sicilian]

If you're gonna go there, you gotta take Stanley Morgan. I like Branch, but he wasn't in Morgan's class.

I was sticking to the Belichick-era criteria.

 

[BB4PRez]

1)Moss
2) Revis
3) Seymour (peak)
4) Wilkfork (peak)

I agree with Deus, Moss was an athlete on another level. If Brady not in a walking boot week of the Super Bowl in 07, I believe game would have had a different result. (Brady was super tough in that game - I think he would have been even better had he been in full health as he was in season)

I am hedging a little with Revis because I think he was a quarter step slower from his prime when he played for the Pats. I rated him higher than Deus did because I believe with Gilmore and Revis locking down two wideouts in man, BB would find a way to shut down the rest of the Rams offense with current personnel. As much as I like Wilfork over the course of his career, I think Seymour was better at his peak.

 

[Nehalem]

Aqib Talib.

Hurts the Rams and helps us at the same time.

 

[jimnance]

Haynes didn't play for Belichick.

No sh it.

 

[pazrul72]

I think people forget just how devastating the Brady-Moss connection was to opponents. In the history of the NFL, there has never been a duo to compare with 2007 Brady-Moss. It's not that I don't see the issue at DL (You can go back to the thread about the Shelton acquisition to see that I've been talking about this season's DL problems for a long time), it's that adding Moss would stress the Rams more than any other addition.

And I would put safety down at the bottom of the list of positions needing the helpful additions in this game, so Rodney isn't even a thought for me.

During the regular season sure, absolutely devastating, lethal, and beautiful to watch. What happened in the post season that year? First game was against the Jags and Brady went 26/28 with one 14 yard reception by Moss. It was the Faulk n’ Welker show. Then the next week against the Chargers they rode Maurony to a close victory. Then the greatest duo of all time put up 17 points in the game that shall not be named.

Call me a throw back but I still think defense wins championships and even the best WR’s can be shut down. Now I love Moss and if you were talking for a whole season it’s no contest as I agree he is on the short list of most talented patriots ever, but for this specific game against this opponent? IMO it’s gotta be Wilfork or Washington.

 

[Deus Irae]

During the regular season sure, absolutely devastating, lethal, and beautiful to watch. What happened in the post season that year? First game was against the Jags and Brady went 26/28 with one 14 yard reception by Moss. It was the Faulk n’ Welker show. Then the next week against the Chargers they rode Maurony to a close victory. Then the greatest duo of all time put up 17 points in the game that shall not be named.

First, using that SB as anything even remotely definitieve is ridiculous, because Brady was hurt, the team lost Neal early on, and the TEs were all banged up. Second, and you seem to be ignoring this: The whole point is that teams had to completely build their game plans around stopping Moss, which meant that other players had it much easier than it would otherwise have been. That's how we got things like Brady going 26 of 28.

Call me a throw back but I still think defense wins championships and even the best WR’s can be shut down. Now I love Moss and if you were talking for a whole season it’s no contest as I agree he is on the short list of most talented patriots ever, but for this specific game against this opponent? IMO it’s gotta be Wilfork or Washington.

I'm not going to call you a throw back. However, I'll point out that you're obviously wrong, at least with regards to this season:

The top 4 scoring offenses all made the Championship Games. Of the top 4 defenses, 2 of them didn't make the playoffs (Jacksonville, Tennessee) and the other 2 went one-and-done. So this year, regardless of whether it's the Rams or Patriots who walk away with the Lombardi, it's offense that's going to win the championship.