WEEI's 25 Years 25 Moments, Drafting Brady NOT #1?

[TheRainMaker]

People give Bill so much credit for that timeout but I think it's one of those rolls of the dice where you're a genius if it works and a the biggest idiot ever if it doesn't.

I was absolutely losing my mind yelling at the TV for him take a timeout. As soon as the ball was snapped I turned my back before my friend screamed saying it was intercepted.

That's easy to say watching at home. You watch him... watching Pete Carroll and Bill's got ice in his veins compared to what he's watching at the other sideline. Then there's another layer of the coaches on the headset asking for the time out and Bill's cool as a cucumber going "yeah I got it.".

Legendary.

The amount of pressure in that moment is mind-blowing, yet Bill simply didn't react. He stayed cool and calculated and handled it.

Like going for the win in SB36, this was a career defining moment by Bill Belichick. This would've made it 4 straight last drive collapses (2006, 2007, 2011, 2014) which would've put a stain on his legacy as a defensive mind. He put a lot of faith in Butler who was getting roasted all week in practice for that play. Arrington was supposed to be the guy, but he was playing so poorly that Bill had to bench him. Had Butler been a step slow and the Seahawks scored, the media and fans would've nuked BB. And I don't see how Tom comes back after that. You see the look of defeat on face after the Kearse catch and tells a teammate something along the lines of "I can't believe this is happening again".

The crazy thing about it is Butler HAD to pick it off. If he just knocked it down the Seahawks get one more shot and this time they go to Lynch.

Carroll's biggest regret is probably trying to prop Wilson up too much. Former players have confirmed that the organization wanted Wilson to be the hero.

 

[maust]

That's easy to say watching at home. You watch him... watching Pete Carroll and Bill's got ice in his veins compared to what he's watching at the other sideline. Then there's another layer of the coaches on the headset asking for the time out and Bill's cool as a cucumber going "yeah I got it.".

Legendary.

The amount of pressure in that moment is mind-blowing, yet Bill simply didn't react. He stayed cool and calculated and handled it.

^100% this^

Watching the Seattle sideline in meltdown and Belichick just shutting everything out and giving Seattle enough rope to hang themselves because he knew what play they'd go to and knew his team was ready for it, peak Belichick. That, naming Brady his starter, both game plans vs the Rams and holding the team together through the AH mess were arguably his finest hours. None of that **** was luck, it's who he is, Say what you will, whether he's right or wrong Bill's got some big ol' brass ones.

 

[TommyD4207]

That one still rankles, just an inexcusable loss to a Jete team they were clearly superior to. So much went wrong in that one but the one play that stands out in my mind's eye was the disastrous direct snap fake punt to Chung. Too cute by half and it symbolized the way the Pat's just consistently played Russian roulette with field position in that debacle of a game I was ripshit during and after that game, not sure I've ever been more angry at a loss. You hit the nail on the head, the two SB losses to the Giants were more devastating but to this day I'm still flat out angry about that game. The smartest guys in the room beat themselves smdh

You can at least crystallize it down to one play.

For me I just endlessly play the "drive to nowhere" over and over in my head on an endless loop.

 

[Guts]

Butler INT was the greatest moment in franchise and id argue NFL history.

 

[pazrul72]

Butler INT was the greatest moment in franchise and id argue NFL history.

Certainly the one I remember most, I have never gone from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs like that before or since. Jumping and screaming hugging the people watching with me. They say women like drama, men do too ours is just different.

 

[ALP]

Butler INT was the greatest moment in franchise and id argue NFL history.

I just can't put it above 28-3

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

People give Bill so much credit for that timeout but I think it's one of those rolls of the dice where you're a genius if it works and a the biggest idiot ever if it doesn't.

Of course people give BB credit. Every decision in crunch time is a roll of the dice. Genius coaches win the roll more times than not, chump coaches lose the roll more times than not. Even genius coaches lose sometimes - did you see Andy Reid in the Chief's game last week? Now you think Andy Reid is a chump coach because he rolled the dice and lost?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Butler INT was the greatest moment in franchise and id argue NFL history.

Certainly the one I remember most, I have never gone from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs like that before or since. Jumping and screaming hugging the people watching with me. They say women like drama, men do too ours is just different.

I just can't put it above 28-3

I agree with @ALP .

The sustained leadership, the multiple excellent plays, and the team belief that they could win over the hour long plus 28 - 3 comeback outweighs the singular momentary play by Butler.

 

[Guts]

I just can't put it above 28-3

I can
Greatest game ever played by two great teams
Looked like we were gonna be SOL again with the Kearse catch i already felt the loss coming then Butler did it and the Pats finally won again after 10 years

 

[pazrul72]

I agree with @ALP .

The sustained leadership, the multiple excellent plays, and the team belief that they could win over the hour long plus 28 - 3 comeback outweighs the singular momentary play by Butler.

My biggest issue with 28-3 being ranked high is it focuses on the good of the 4th quarter while forgetting the reason they got there is the crap way they played for the first 3. That wasn't a great game the way the Seahawks Superbowl was. That was two heavy weight wagons slugging it out trading body blows the entire game. The Butler Interception was just the knockout punch from when they had us on the ropes. 28-3 is as much about the Falcons collapse as it is the Patriots taking it from them, where as it feels to me like they earned every inch of the win against the Legion of Boom. IMO a great game has to rank over a great comeback

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

My biggest issue with 28-3 being ranked high is it focuses on the good of the 4th quarter while forgetting the reason they got there is the crap way they played for the first 3. That wasn't a great game the way the Seahawks Superbowl was. That was two heavy weight wagons slugging it out trading body blows the entire game. The Butler Interception was just the knockout punch from when they had us on the ropes. 28-3 is as much about the Falcons collapse as it is the Patriots taking it from them, where as it feels to me like they earned every inch of the win against the Legion of Boom. IMO a great game has to rank over a great comeback

I will always greatly enjoy the courage displayed in a remarkable comeback. There are always bumps in the road of life, I do not regret the bumps, it is the resiliency of the comeback that I admire.