BobDigital
Pro Bowl Player
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2013
- Messages
- 16,350
- Reaction score
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This is my list and includes both regular season and playoffs. Keep in mind this is not most impactful per say (though impact matters) but best.
#10 Gostkowski - Again was the best kicker in the NFL. The Pats rarely gave a team good field position and he did not miss a single kick that really mattered and made the ones that did. He did not have much to do in the playoffs but I now feel about him 95% of the way I did for Automatic Adam.
#9 Collins - People will hate me for putting him so low. I think it is a hat tip to the guys above than a snub to Collins. He made good strides this year particularly in the 2nd half but still looked like the 2nd year player he was. I expect big things from him this year and I think he will leave his young mistakes and inconsistent play entirely behind
#8 Ninkovich - It is almost a crime to put him this low. So many snaps and did the job we needed him too. However while very good was not great. He deserves every bit of the pay raise he is getting this year though.
#7 Vollmer - Vollmer had almost an entirely healthy year and was back to his probowl caliber play. He was the consistently rock solid force on the line this year and you knew no matter what he would show up and hold his spot. His value this year can not be understated.
#6 Edelman - What a player. He not just a slot WR but showed outside chops several times. He Deion like now with how in sync he is with Brady. His punt returns continued to add a spark and he is a first down machine.
#5 Hightower - Speaking of LBs how about that Hightower? He had the kind of campaign I wish to see form Collins next year. The polish on his game is clear. His consistency and lack of mistakes elevated him as the best LB the Patriots had this year. A solid consistent force who is also now a seasoned play caller for the D. It really slowed down for him this year.
#4 McCourty - Very good in his spot and did everything they asked him too. A lot of people talk about his center field abilities but the amount of times he plays man from the FS spot might surprise you (given it is on the 3rd option usually). A player with sometimes underrated flexibility.
#3 Brady - This will piss some people off him being #3. He is the clear MVP of the team and it all runs through him. However he did not have the best individual year on the team. His playoff performance was fantastic and he was clearly our best player in those 3 games. This is a measure of all 19 though and to be frank he had some ups and downs.
#2 Revis - Revis was mostly Revis. Key word is mostly. He had a few hiccups and bad games kind of randomly place but when he needed to turn it on he could... mostly. Still it can not be denied IMO that the Pats this year were better offensively than defensively and that leads me to pick the #1 player
#1 Gronk - Gronk did not have the best start to the year much like Brady. He was tentative and unsure and it showed. He was in his head worrying about his injury. However it is no coincidence that in game 5 when Gronk decided it was time to put the pedal to the medal and hope he was truly healed that is when Brady got hot. It was not entirely because of Gronk playing like Gronk but that was probably the biggest reason. The difference is Brady kind of trailed off from games 12-15 of the year and Gronk did not. He was a force from week 5 on until they hoisted the championship. He simply is not coverable 1v1 and it allows everyone else to be freed up. It made things easier on Edelman and Lafell. He was IMO the best player for the Pats this season and if he managers to stay healthy will not just be the best TE to ever play and it won't be that close.
How do you rank them?
#10 Gostkowski - Again was the best kicker in the NFL. The Pats rarely gave a team good field position and he did not miss a single kick that really mattered and made the ones that did. He did not have much to do in the playoffs but I now feel about him 95% of the way I did for Automatic Adam.
#9 Collins - People will hate me for putting him so low. I think it is a hat tip to the guys above than a snub to Collins. He made good strides this year particularly in the 2nd half but still looked like the 2nd year player he was. I expect big things from him this year and I think he will leave his young mistakes and inconsistent play entirely behind
#8 Ninkovich - It is almost a crime to put him this low. So many snaps and did the job we needed him too. However while very good was not great. He deserves every bit of the pay raise he is getting this year though.
#7 Vollmer - Vollmer had almost an entirely healthy year and was back to his probowl caliber play. He was the consistently rock solid force on the line this year and you knew no matter what he would show up and hold his spot. His value this year can not be understated.
#6 Edelman - What a player. He not just a slot WR but showed outside chops several times. He Deion like now with how in sync he is with Brady. His punt returns continued to add a spark and he is a first down machine.
#5 Hightower - Speaking of LBs how about that Hightower? He had the kind of campaign I wish to see form Collins next year. The polish on his game is clear. His consistency and lack of mistakes elevated him as the best LB the Patriots had this year. A solid consistent force who is also now a seasoned play caller for the D. It really slowed down for him this year.
#4 McCourty - Very good in his spot and did everything they asked him too. A lot of people talk about his center field abilities but the amount of times he plays man from the FS spot might surprise you (given it is on the 3rd option usually). A player with sometimes underrated flexibility.
#3 Brady - This will piss some people off him being #3. He is the clear MVP of the team and it all runs through him. However he did not have the best individual year on the team. His playoff performance was fantastic and he was clearly our best player in those 3 games. This is a measure of all 19 though and to be frank he had some ups and downs.
#2 Revis - Revis was mostly Revis. Key word is mostly. He had a few hiccups and bad games kind of randomly place but when he needed to turn it on he could... mostly. Still it can not be denied IMO that the Pats this year were better offensively than defensively and that leads me to pick the #1 player
#1 Gronk - Gronk did not have the best start to the year much like Brady. He was tentative and unsure and it showed. He was in his head worrying about his injury. However it is no coincidence that in game 5 when Gronk decided it was time to put the pedal to the medal and hope he was truly healed that is when Brady got hot. It was not entirely because of Gronk playing like Gronk but that was probably the biggest reason. The difference is Brady kind of trailed off from games 12-15 of the year and Gronk did not. He was a force from week 5 on until they hoisted the championship. He simply is not coverable 1v1 and it allows everyone else to be freed up. It made things easier on Edelman and Lafell. He was IMO the best player for the Pats this season and if he managers to stay healthy will not just be the best TE to ever play and it won't be that close.
How do you rank them?
