Which great Patriots team was the best? (Poll Added)

[john4psu]

Which great Patriots team was the best?

 

[Guts]

04, 07, 16

 

[signbabybrady]

07 gets my vote

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Every year is different, but I probably lean towards 2014.

Brady improved so much over the course of his career and I don't think he was anything close to "GOAT" level for the first 3 SBs. Even on the amazing 2007 team with the eye popping statistics, I still don't think he was as good as he was in the latter 3 SB wins because he kept improving on the mental side of the game non stop. Gronk in his prime gave them a true alpha receiving threat, even if not a receiver, and Edelman was a good a #2 option as they ever had. LaFell was good that year too.

The talent on defense was INSANE. Revis, McCourty, Chandler Jones, Hightower, Collins all in their prime as pro bowl/all pro caliber players. Ninkovich and Chung in their primes as very good starters. Browner and Wilfork past their primes but still good starters. Lots of good depth/role players too in Alan Branch, Sealver Siglia, Chris Jones, Akeem Ayers, Kyle Arrington.

 

[sb1]

2024.. got a doofus unqualified HC to be one and done so that made it the best!

Also I don't care I can't stand it 2007 was the best team in NFL history hands down, regardless of how it turned out.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I’ll always take the 2004 team. The nastiest version we’ve had, both in the trenches and at safety. Great team throughout the year but still played their absolute best when the lights were the brightest despite facing a gauntlet at the end. Id never pick against that squad

 

[Lansdowne]

I personally feel that the only reason there is a debate is because the 2007 team gave up the lead with 35 seconds left in the Super Bowl and never got it back. Would’ve been the greatest team in NFL history had they won, but instead are the greatest to fall short of that goal. It’s wild that the team I recognize as the greatest in franchise history, with all its accomplishments over the years, is one that didn’t get the Lombardi trophy at the end. But that’s what I truly believe. Played a lousy game by their standards, bullied all day at the line of scrimmage, and yet still put themselves in position to win the game in the final minutes. 2007 was truly special, even if it’s cursed.

If we’re only measuring by the six SB winners, I’ll say 2004 because they went through the toughest gauntlet of opponents in the playoffs I’ve ever seen a team pull off. All three opponents were wagons.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

I’ll always take the 2004 team. The nastiest version we’ve had, both in the trenches and at safety. Great team throughout the year but still played their absolute best when the lights were the brightest despite facing a gauntlet at the end. Id never pick against that squad

I lean 2004 for those reasons, but it might be my bias because I like that style of football better. Can make a very solid argument for 2014 and 2016, especially since Law and Poole didn’t play the back half of 2004. Of course 2016 didn’t have Gronk for most of it - which also shows just how good that team was that they were able to win in spite of that (similar to 2004).

 

[MrTibbs]

04 or 07 squad was probably the best

 

[TheRainMaker]

Top 10 Pats teams during the BB years:

1. 2007. Should've won. Bill made some awful coaching decisions and the defense didn't show up. And I'm not talking about the final drive. It was all game Eli was throwing picks right to them and fumbles not recovered. Offense choked even with Brady's severe ankle sprain.
2. 2003. Best BB defense by far. Pedestrian offense, but showed up when they had to.
3. 2004. Would've been #2 had it not been for injuries in the secondary.
4. 2015. They were on a tear going 10-0 until injuries took over and Bill had one of his worst coaching seasons.
6. 2016. Only lost one game with Brady as a starter. Chris Hogan was a really good addition.
7. 2017. Another unfortunate bad game plan by BB and Patricia and coaching decision by BB.
8. 2012. Had Gronk not been injured (thanks Bill), Talib doesn't tap out and Ridley doesn't play hero ball, they are probably higher on the list.
9. 2014. The team that started the resurgence with Revis as the big addition. He lost a step, but he ignited the turn around on defense. Offense was meh.
10. 2010. Their defense was awful and their lack of running game reared it's ugly head as the Jets exposed their weakness at WR. They still had no business losing to the Jets in the AFCDG. Would've at least gotten to the Super Bowl had they made it past the Jets.

 

[Zarozzor]

1. 2007
2. 2004

I think 3-5 are 2010, 2014, 2016 in no specific order. 2012 is also right there with those three. Yeah, I know lots of Patriots fans have a sour taste about the 2010 team but

Top 10 DVOA, 1978-2024
1. 2007 Patriots 52.3%
2. 1991 Redskins 49.5%
3. 1985 Bears 45.8%
4. 2010 Patriots 45.7%
5. 2023 Ravens 45.5%
6. 2024 Ravens 41.4%
7. 1996 Packers 39.7%
8. 2023 49ers 39.4%
9. 1995 49ers 39.0%
10. 2022 Bills 38.6%

Top 10 SRS, 1966-2024
1. 2007 Patriots 20.06
2. 1968 Colts 17.85
3. 1969 Vikings 17.58
4. 1991 Redskins 16.62
5. 1985 Bears 15.94
6. 2019 Ravens 15.62
7. 2010 Patriots 15.38
8. 1976 Steelers 15.34
9. 1967 Raiders 15.29
10. 1996 Packers 15.25

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I lean 2004 for those reasons, but it might be my bias because I like that style of football better. Can make a very solid argument for 2014 and 2016, especially since Law and Poole didn’t play the back half of 2004. Of course 2016 didn’t have Gronk for most of it - which also shows just how good that team was that they were able to win in spite of that (similar to 2004).

2016 is sneaky underrated, the defense wasn’t supremely talented like 2014 but an incredibly well oiled machine, much credit to bb and patricia there. I really liked that team. Im of the opinion that if bluont never fumbled early on in the sb which snowballed into a 1st half collapse we would have been in firm control of that game throughout and it’s not a blowout but something like sb39 over Philly. Couple that with 2 comfortable wins in the first 2 rounds and its very similar to the 2004 run at the end.

Crazy to think how good those teams would have been with a healthy law and gronk.

 

[RobertWeathers]

04

They still dominated after losing starting CBs Law and Poole and Seymour for the divisional and AFCCG.

Hank Poteat, Troy Brown and Earthwind Moreland got significant snaps on D.

Absolutely loaded.

 

[Real fan 02]

Which great Patriots team was the best?

07 without a doubt!

 

[Real fan 02]

Top 10 Pats teams during the BB years:

1. 2007. Should've won. Bill made some awful coaching decisions and the defense didn't show up. And I'm not talking about the final drive. It was all game Eli was throwing picks right to them and fumbles not recovered. Offense choked even with Brady's severe ankle sprain.
2. 2003. Best BB defense by far. Pedestrian offense, but showed up when they had to.
3. 2004. Would've been #2 had it not been for injuries in the secondary.
4. 2015. They were on a tear going 10-0 until injuries took over and Bill had one of his worst coaching seasons.
6. 2016. Only lost one game with Brady as a starter. Chris Hogan was a really good addition.
7. 2017. Another unfortunate bad game plan by BB and Patricia and coaching decision by BB.
8. 2012. Had Gronk not been injured (thanks Bill), Talib doesn't tap out and Ridley doesn't play hero ball, they are probably higher on the list.
9. 2014. The team that started the resurgence with Revis as the big addition. He lost a step, but he ignited the turn around on defense. Offense was meh.
10. 2010. Their defense was awful and their lack of running game reared it's ugly head as the Jets exposed their weakness at WR. They still had no business losing to the Jets in the AFCDG. Would've at least gotten to the Super Bowl had they made it past the Jets.

2011 was pretty special.. 33PPG gronk and Hernandez ate up LBs and Safties... 13-3.. would have won another SB..but you can only ask the likes of sterling Moore to do so much.. secondary was our Achilles that year.. when Eli completed that 50 yard bomb to Manningham along the left sideline in the 4th... the game was over.

 

[sb1]

I’ll always take the 2004 team. The nastiest version we’ve had, both in the trenches and at safety. Great team throughout the year but still played their absolute best when the lights were the brightest despite facing a gauntlet at the end. Id never pick against that squad

I forget who it was on the CBS postgame after the 04 AFCCG who said maybe the Patriots team is the best team ever. That was quite the hot take back then but it was fun to hear it. Also loved the Baba O'Riley opening wish I could find it somewhere.

 

[Real fan 02]

I forget who it was on the CBS postgame after the 04 AFCCG who said maybe the Patriots team is the best team ever. That was quite the hot take back then but it was fun to hear it. Also loved the Baba O'Riley opening wish I could find it somewhere.

Wasn't it RKK asking BB was this the best team he's ever seen or something??

 

[sb1]

Wasn't it RKK asking BB was this the best team he's ever seen or something??

I thought I remembered it was one of the crew who brought it up but maybe it was a followup to that?

 

[Clonamery]

I lean 2004 for those reasons, but it might be my bias because I like that style of football better. Can make a very solid argument for 2014 and 2016, especially since Law and Poole didn’t play the back half of 2004. Of course 2016 didn’t have Gronk for most of it - which also shows just how good that team was that they were able to win in spite of that (similar to 2004).

Plus you have to look at the injuries that team had. Sample:

Patriots Notebook: Injuries a major concern

 

[TheRainMaker]

2011 was pretty special.. 33PPG gronk and Hernandez ate up LBs and Safties... 13-3.. would have won another SB..but you can only ask the likes of sterling Moore to do so much.. secondary was our Achilles that year.. when Eli completed that 50 yard bomb to Manningham along the left sideline in the 4th... the game was over.

Aside from Andre Carter and Mark Anderson being great additions and both getting 10 sacks, their defense was still bad. I'd put them at #10 tied with 2010 as they were pretty much the team team.