2001... 2021 the more things change the more they stay the same.

[patfanken]

This was part of a post I made on the Dolphins week thread, but I though at least this part of it was worthy of its own, because. as I look at the team that Bill amassed for that first great season, I see a raft of similarities to what he is trying to build with this one

a. A tough BIG DL to pound OL's and contain the run game - Is Baremore this Generation's Richard Seymour (I'd take Seymour-lite ) check

b. Big tough physical and VETERAN LB's who make all the moves and changes that Bill wants at the LOS presnap and will punish runners and beat up pass catchers. Back then it was McGinest,, Cox, and Roman Phifer. This year it is Hightower, Van Noy and Judon

c. He brought in a touch somewhat slow, but steady CB in Otis Smith. Jalen Mills perhaps who adds position flexibility to that description

d. And had 2 veteran hard hitting Safeties check.

e. A strong Running game that will move the chains - Guys who you can count on to at LEAST get you to makeable 3rd down - check

f. A strong OL that will be better than the sum of its parts. Actually this could be a MUCH better OL given that that one only had 2 real talents in Light and Woody and Light was a rookie. Gregg f#cking Robinson-Randell was our RT and IIRC he was out of the league a year or 2 later. The others like Andruzi were just blue collar guys who were more tough than talented. Check plus.

g. Solid steady WR's - in 2001 we had no one who would scare a DC either, and only Patten and Brown put up ANY numbers. and freakin' Wiggy was the TE : And while the complaints about the WR's are well documented, this is certainly a more talented group than the one we had in 2001, especially after Glenn left after game #3

h. And then we come to the QB - You want your QB to stay within the system. Make good decisions. and above all move the chains. I know I'd feel better if this were Mac's 2nd year, but he is what we have and he certainly fits the system to a T,

i. Finally you can't watch that clip without coming to the conclusion about how important turnovers were to the success of the Pats, especially in the playoffs. We had FIVE in Pittsburgh in a 7 point game. No win there without all 5. Most of the games we play this year will be a touchdown or less games. Our plus minus turnover ratio will play a key role in deciding what kind of season we have. Like in 2001 the margin of victory will will often be narrow, especially with a rookie QB., But anyway you look at it Mac is EXACTLY what Brady was in 2001 (lacking that extra year of maturity)

When you think about it,, it IS kind of spooky. Maybe you can think of even more comparisons or maybe you think I'm full of sh!t, let me know.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I see a raft of similarities to what he is trying to build with this one
g. Solid steady WR's - in 2001 we had no one who would scare a DC either, but and only Patten and Brown put up ANY numbers. and freakin' Wiggy was the TE :eel: And while I the complaints about the WR's are well documented, this is certainly a more talented group than the one we had in 2001, especially after Glenn left after game #3

So was it you or The Captain who coined the nickname The Eel for Wiggy?

 

[patfanken]

So was it you or The Captain who coined the nickname The Eel for Wiggy?

Sorry for that but that was supposed to be an Think about it, Wiggy as your TE? Though I think he had 10 catches in snowbowl game and his catch at the end of that game winning drive in the superbowl goes largely unnoticed, but it turn a 53 yd FG into a much more makeable 48 yd one

 

[NG Pats Fan]

g. Solid steady WR's - in 2001 we had no one who would scare a DC either, and only Patten and Brown put up ANY numbers. and freakin' Wiggy was the TE : And while the complaints about the WR's are well documented, this is certainly a more talented group than the one we had in 2001, especially after Glenn left after game #3

a prime Troy Brown is far more talented than JAGofloor. 1200 yards receiving and 3 punt returns for TDS including making 5 super talented Pittsburgh Steelers fall on their faces

patten way more talented than Mourne

Terry Glenn made leaping acrobatic catches vs San Diego that Harriet could only dream to make

if you say 2021 has better depth with meyers I may agree, but 01 had quality!

 

[Gumby]

This was part of a post I made on the Dolphins week thread, but I though at least this part of it was worthy of its own, because. as I look at the team that Bill amassed for that first great season, I see a raft of similarities to what he is trying to build with this one

a. A tough BIG DL to pound OL's and contain the run game - Is Baremore this Generation's Richard Seymour (I'd take Seymour-lite ) check

b. Big tough physical and VETERAN LB's who make all the moves and changes that Bill wants at the LOS presnap and will punish runners and beat up pass catchers. Back then it was McGinest,, Cox, and Roman Phifer. This year it is Hightower, Van Noy and Judon

c. He brought in a touch somewhat slow, but steady CB in Otis Smith. Jalen Mills perhaps who adds position flexibility to that description

d. And had 2 veteran hard hitting Safeties check.

e. A strong Running game that will move the chains - Guys who you can count on to at LEAST get you to makeable 3rd down - check

f. A strong OL that will be better than the sum of its parts. Actually this could be a MUCH better OL given that that one only had 2 real talents in Light and Woody and Light was a rookie. Gregg f#cking Robinson-Randell was our RT and IIRC he was out of the league a year or 2 later. The others like Andruzi were just blue collar guys who were more tough than talented. Check plus.

g. Solid steady WR's - in 2001 we had no one who would scare a DC either, and only Patten and Brown put up ANY numbers. and freakin' Wiggy was the TE : And while the complaints about the WR's are well documented, this is certainly a more talented group than the one we had in 2001, especially after Glenn left after game #3

h. And then we come to the QB - You want your QB to stay within the system. Make good decisions. and above all move the chains. I know I'd feel better if this were Mac's 2nd year, but he is what we have and he certainly fits the system to a T,

i. Finally you can't watch that clip without coming to the conclusion about how important turnovers were to the success of the Pats, especially in the playoffs. We had FIVE in Pittsburgh in a 7 point game. No win there without all 5. Most of the games we play this year will be a touchdown or less games. Our plus minus turnover ratio will play a key role in deciding what kind of season we have. Like in 2001 the margin of victory will will often be narrow, especially with a rookie QB., But anyway you look at it Mac is EXACTLY what Brady was in 2001 (lacking that extra year of maturity)

When you think about it,, it IS kind of spooky. Maybe you can think of even more comparisons or maybe you think I'm full of sh!t, let me know.

I think BB is pretty consistently true to his base philosophy.

So if you look back at all those intervening years; you can probably find more near-matching years than not.

but the qb similarity makes all the rest seem much closer for 01-21 comparison.

 

[Hyped]

Not saying you are full of $h!t, @patfanken....

But, the 2001 team really was a special team that caught a lighting in a bottle....it wasn't only Seymour, McGinest, Light, Woody, Milloy, Law, and et al... it was also guys like Phifer, Bruschi (who was still a part time ST'er), Hamilton, Cox, Antowain Smith, O-T-I-S, Redmond, Wiggins, Antwan Harris, etc...etc... Like you always say, "Greater-Than-The-Sum-Of-Their-Parts".

That was a special team that only got better and better as time wore on...we didn't even look good @Miami and @Denver....then finally beat the Jets in the Meadowlands...barely squeaked out a win against the Bills... snow game....AFC title game with Bledsoe being Bledsoe-ish.... and even then we still needed Tommy to hit Troy Brown on a long completion to set up the game winning FG after the Rams came back.... if not for the off-the-ball-holding call on McGinest that would have been a blow out, but I digress...

Special special team.....

I think the 2021 Patriots need to stand on their own without drawing comparisons. Even I am guilty of comparing Jones to Brady 2000-2002, but we really shouldn't be comparing anything. We still have about 40 Superbowl rings on the roster...whereas the 2001 team....I don't think we had a single ring on the roster at all....

 

[Kontradiction]

a prime Troy Brown is far more talented than JAGofloor. 1200 yards receiving and 3 punt returns for TDS including making 5 super talented Pittsburgh Steelers fall on their faces

patten way more talented than Mourne

Terry Glenn made leaping acrobatic catches vs San Diego that Harriet could only dream to make

if you say 2021 has better depth with meyers I may agree, but 01 had quality!

I can’t hate on Mourne, but the first one should have been JAGholor. Unless you were trying to insinuate that he’s a jagoff.

 

[farn]

LB strength. Loved it 2001-04. Loved it in 2013-18. Hoping to love it again in 2021.

 

[PScottman]

And had 2 veteran hard hitting Safeties check.

I would counter slightly that it's two veteran all-around, great tackling safeties (McCourty and Phillips) and one hard hitting one (Dugger). I know Phillips rep is more of a wood-layer, but have been very impressed with his tackling acumen. I think Mills is more in the O-T-I-S mold of "can play either S or CB" (competently enough to not win or lose you any games).