Vince Wilfork’s unique place in Patriots history

Ivan said:

The only OL better than Mankins in Patriot history is Hannah, and that’s debateable

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Froob said:

Here’s an interesting question, would people rather have Seymour or Wilfork?

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sieglo said:

Wilfork elevated his game on the biggest stages. On the other hand, Mankins’ presence in those games seemed to diminish. That’s just my opinion. There are plenty of HOF players who played down in the playoffs. Guys like Manning and Marino. I guess on that basis Mankins shouldn’t be neglected for the Pats HOF. But comparing him to Big Vince just ain’t right.

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Ice_Ice_Brady said:

Not disagreeing with your overall sentiment, but this is really not debatable. Mankins was a 1x time first-team all-pro. Hannah was a 10x first-team all pro. Hannah was named to the NFL 75th anniversary team and two all-decade teams. Hannah is a top-3 guard of all-time; Mankins is a top-3 guard of his era.

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chris_in_sunnyvale said:

BB's credo has always been "Do your job!" and VW was the epitome of that. The job wasn't always glamorous and often very sacrificial, requiring a maturity and resolve to stick to the job play after play, game after game and year after year. It's kind of fitting he's the lone other bridge between the title trios besides Brady.

Regards,
Chris

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Ice_Ice_Brady said:

Hannah is a top-3 guard of all-time; Mankins is a top-3 guard of his era.

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everlong said:

Giants X2. He also only has 1 all pro team.

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Biffins said:

Yeah, I never understood all the hots for Wilfork. Everyone would say "you have to double team Wilfork" and then I'd see tape and a third of the plays Wilfork wasn't double teamed and yet it's not as if he was winning that 1-on-1 or pushing that player back or creating pressure. If anything it seemed he was taking the play off and would dive to either gap to stuff the run. Basically he pretty much became a run-stopping option only. Which is why he would not be on field for obvious pass plays. He's good. But I never thought him elite. Frankly Trey Flowers is a better interior DL.

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Froob said:

Here’s an interesting question, would people rather have Seymour or Wilfork?

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doesntmatter1 said:

A few things. I love Vince's personality and he had unreal conditioning for a man that size but I never thought he was elite. He was an above average run defender that offered little to no pass rush. All of those years where we had no pass rush and joke if anyone we sign could rush the passer reflects on Wilfork as well.

Mankins is someone I will never feel bad for. He played a role in both superbowl losses. I think he is the most overrated player we have had under BB.

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JackBauer said:

I would say Seymour but that is in no way a slight against Wilfork. Both incredible players but Seymour was a generational talent.

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captain stone said:

Agree about Mankin$; remember the 10-week-long, public and nasty holdout of his during the 2010 season, a season in which Brady was league MVP despite not having Mankin$ for more than half of it? He apparanrly didn't seem to miss him all that much I guess. And while he certainly was more part of the problem than part of the solution in 42, the real culprits on the OL that game were Hochstein and especially OxyKaczur; those two were horrible. Oxy himself was totally responsible for 4th/13 being attempted.

Gotta disagree with your take about Wilfork, however. Nobody ran well up the middle consistently while he was here, and depending on who was trying to block him, he could find his way into the backfield also; e.g., he was the unnamed MVP of the 2011 AFCC vs the Murderers.

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Ice_Ice_Brady said:

...... Moss ...................... like I was watching a historically great athlete.

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PatsFanInVa said:

This. I think we saw this year that the Pats' travail in pass-rushing were always going to be there. Flowers is still a must-sign (or at least a big loss if we can't)... but why, if you go by regular season alone? Quick, was he a top-10 leader in sacks in 18? Top 20? No, Trey was 34th in solo sacks.

Turns out that "**** Pats Fans say" turns out to be right... we get pressure, not necessarily sacks (we were limping along with something like 1/2 the sacks of the pack (not the leaders of the pack) last I saw, up to the playoffs.

But regardless of how many times we "got home" in SB 53, ask anybody where BB got that beautiful ring, and the answer's going to be "He went to Jared." And part of that beautiful romcom was a running gag about bringing Flowers. See what I did there.

Why all these labored puns about Flowers and 53, when we're talking about Big Vince? The answer is, we have NEVER put up big sack numbers in this era. We never will either, despite the impressive D-line work this post-season. Blitzing has always been, and will always be, one tool in the tool box -- and we'll do it without bringing the house and potentially giving up the big play.

BOOORRRRRINNNNNNG. Not to mention all those years playing primarily 3-4. And nobody was better at it than VW. I'd say he has a special place in modern Pats D-line history, except he probably takes up 2 places.

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Froob said:

Here’s an interesting question, would people rather have Seymour or Wilfork?

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maust1013 said:

Don't hold your breath. Belichick is a never explain, never complain kind of guy.

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