2011 Patriots

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Going into that game, I thought NY was a bad matchup: Their DL could get pressure without help and the Pats' thin secondary didn't match up well against their 3 WR package. Yet I still felt confident as I figured BOB would tire them out with the Chip Kelly-inspired quick snap no huddle all game. It worked for the middle 2 quarters, but the Pats looked out of sorts in the first and last quarters.

Arrington actually defended Cruz well in the slot, which was the key to slowing NY. Even on the huge play to Manningham, that was the guy BB would want to see make the play rather than Cruz or Nicks. Tip your cap to Eli and Mario on that play.

While SF's defense would have been a challenge, the Pats D matched up really well against the Smith-lead offense. The Pats CBs had no serious threats to worry about and the safeties could handle Vernon Davis. Too bad they fumbled the NFCCG away to NY.

Regards,
Chris

 

[sb1]

Based on what?

Brady himself was better for sure. The rest of the team as a group... not really.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Brady himself was better for sure. The rest of the team as a group... not really.

Yea I think as the years roll on the 2001 team was much more talented than people give them credit for.

2011 TB12 was GOAT status. 2001 TB12 was Pro-Bowl/Top 15 QB. No slouch by any means.

Although the 01 team did finish 6th in points, AH, Gronk, Branch, WW was vastly superior no question. 10x more talent

The running games were about even. Maybe 2011 was a bit better.

The 01 defense is vastly superior to 2011. From November on they were a very, very good group only allowing 14ppg.

 

[brdmaverick]

Heading into that postseason we all knew the Pats D was extremely flawed

I don't think the thought of winning was truly high until the Packers and Saints got knocked out of the playoffs. The Packers were 15-1 and resembled the '07 Pats team. The Saints were throwing all over the field.

Hope resurfaced when the 9-7 Giants made the Super Bowl instead with their 32nd ranked rushing offense. The Pats D did well for waht it was, but still unfortunately not enough.

 

[sb1]

Heading into that postseason we all knew the Pats D was extremely flawed

I don't think the thought of winning was truly high until the Packers and Saints got knocked out of the playoffs. The Packers were 15-1 and resembled the '07 Pats team. The Saints were throwing all over the field.

Hope resurfaced when the 9-7 Giants made the Super Bowl instead with their 32nd ranked rushing offense. The Pats D did well for waht it was, but still unfortunately not enough.

The Steelers inexplicably getting roasted by Tebow helped.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Hope resurfaced when the 9-7 Giants made the Super Bowl instead with their 32nd ranked rushing offense. The Pats D did well for waht it was, but still unfortunately not enough.

And the game-winning score was a rushing TD...

 

[mosi]

Yea I think as the years roll on the 2001 team was much more talented than people give them credit for.

2011 TB12 was GOAT status. 2001 TB12 was Pro-Bowl/Top 15 QB. No slouch by any means.

Although the 01 team did finish 6th in points, AH, Gronk, Branch, WW was vastly superior no question. 10x more talent

The running games were about even. Maybe 2011 was a bit better.

The 01 defense is vastly superior to 2011. From November on they were a very, very good group only allowing 14ppg.

Damn right. If you want to know why Ty Law deserves entrance to the Hall, watch the 2001 SB.

 

[sb1]

Yea I think as the years roll on the 2001 team was much more talented than people give them credit for.

2011 TB12 was GOAT status. 2001 TB12 was Pro-Bowl/Top 15 QB. No slouch by any means.

Although the 01 team did finish 6th in points, AH, Gronk, Branch, WW was vastly superior no question. 10x more talent

The running games were about even. Maybe 2011 was a bit better.

The 01 defense is vastly superior to 2011. From November on they were a very, very good group only allowing 14ppg.

Honestly I liked A. Smith a lot better than Law Firm. Smith had a really nice season and a great Super Bowl game and maybe he was one of the bigger reasons why they managed to beat the Rams.

I know a lot of us were all high on BJGE at the time, including myself... but realistically he was never more than an average back and was not seen a threat to any other team.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

And the game-winning score was a rushing TD...

...that the Pats deliberately allowed. IIRC, the Pats defender pushed the RB into the end zone as he hesitated, perhaps thinking of taking a knee.

Regards,
Chris

 

[sb1]

Honestly I liked A. Smith a lot better than Law Firm. Smith had a really nice season and a great Super Bowl game and maybe he was one of the bigger reasons why they managed to beat the Rams.

I know a lot of us were all high on BJGE at the time, including myself... but realistically he was never more than an average back and was not seen a threat to any other team.

Interesting fact: Out of all 6 Super Bowls in the Brady era... the top two rushing performances by a Patriot back in a SB game?

It's Antowain Smith in SB36 and 38.

 

[brdmaverick]

Interesting fact: Out of all 6 Super Bowls in the Brady era... the top two rushing performances by a Patriot back in a SB game?

It's Antowain Smith in SB36 and 38.

Thanks for sharing. That was a fun fact.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Honestly I liked A. Smith a lot better than Law Firm. Smith had a really nice season and a great Super Bowl game and maybe he was one of the bigger reasons why they managed to beat the Rams.

I know a lot of us were all high on BJGE at the time, including myself... but realistically he was never more than an average back and was not seen a threat to any other team.

I agree but 2011 also had Ridley and Woody. Beyond A Smith the 01 team had Faulk, Redmond and Marc Edwards. I guess 01 gets the nod if you include the whole depth chart.

 

[mosslost]

51

Based on what?

518 points scored.. and a 200 point differential. Blew away just about everybody. barely lost the Super Bowl, 2001 Pats barely won the playoffs. (The Super Bowl game itself was their grates achievement.

2011 Brady amazing.. 2001 Brady just ok.... 18 TD 12 int

All 6 of our Super Bowls could have gone either way with the maybe exception of 39, but even 39 was a close score.

People don't accurately rate the 2011 team around here. Strong team.

 

[RobertWeathers]

51

518 points scored.. and a 200 point differential. Blew away just about everybody. barely lost the Super Bowl, 2001 Pats barely won the playoffs. (The Super Bowl game itself was their grates achievement.

2011 Brady amazing.. 2001 Brady just ok.... 18 TD 12 int

All 6 of our Super Bowls could have gone either way with the maybe exception of 39, but even 39 was a close score.

People don't accurately rate the 2011 team around here. Strong team.

While dynamic, I think we saw vs BAL that that O was a bit flawed even with Gronk.

 

[New England Pride]

What was routine about it? It hit him in stride exactly where he expected it? It was a route he ran all the time and he caught that exact pass 100 times? It was a nice soft gentle spiral and any scrub off the street could catch? No. No. And no. It was a deeper route which welker normally didn't run thrown behind him so he had to twist and jump to get his hands on it. I bet if you threw it to him 100 times he comes down with 70 of them. Should have caught it? You bet. Routine? Or in my mind easy if you like that word better no way in hell.

Can we please stop this whole, "Brady threw behind him" or "Brady slightly missed the throw downfield." Brady saw the safety coming and appropriately back shouldered the ball. Welker wasn't able to make the adjustment. That ball was a dime.

 

[captain stone]

Even with all of their self-inflicted wounds - that completely AFU first offensive play from scrimmage (aka the Safety), Brady not looking for Edelman on 3rd/4 inside the Vagiants 10 on the 2nd-to-last drive of the first half (thus having to settle for a chip-shot FG instead of a possible TD), The Receiver looking the wrong way on 3rd down late in the 4th quarter, 12 men on the field against the defense - they still should beaten those evil, undeserving Vagiants.

 

[pazrul72]

Can we please stop this whole, "Brady threw behind him" or "Brady slightly missed the throw downfield." Brady saw the safety coming and appropriately back shouldered the ball. Welker wasn't able to make the adjustment. That ball was a dime.

No. Tom has two reactions when a pass doesn't get completed. Hands on his head and you can hear him screaming at himself "damn it Tom you gotta throw that better" or hands on his hips glaring daggers at the receiver "damn it Wes didn't you see that safety coming?" Tom's reaction tells me it was a miss not a back shoulder throw that safety was still 5 yards away when the ball got there and was heading upfield to stop the TD not right at Wes to blow him up. Now Tom threw a good enough ball it should have been caught. Wes probably hauls that in 7 out 10 times but acting like it was a perfect throw and an easy catch is not being fair to Wes. Shoulda had it? Absolutely. Easy catch and he ducked up bad? No...just No.

 

[mosi]

51

518 points scored.. and a 200 point differential. Blew away just about everybody. barely lost the Super Bowl, 2001 Pats barely won the playoffs. (The Super Bowl game itself was their grates achievement.

2011 Brady amazing.. 2001 Brady just ok.... 18 TD 12 int

All 6 of our Super Bowls could have gone either way with the maybe exception of 39, but even 39 was a close score.

People don't accurately rate the 2011 team around here. Strong team.

I do agree that was a good team that should have beaten the Giants team, even without Gronk. That was the first game were I thought the Pats were afraid. Still was surprised they lost that game.