Best special team plays in Patriot history

[brdmaverick]

Others have already mentioned the greatest in Pats history.......

Troy Brown/Antwain Harris blocked punt and return TD.

Troy Brown punt retrun vs. PIT in playoffs.

Vinatieri kick to win Super bowl and tying kick in Snow Bowl.

But some other goodies could be......

Vinatieri pass to Troy Brown in 2004 game at STL.

Bethel Johnson kick off return TD only seconds before halftime at Indy in 2003.

 

[Tony2046]

I'm not sure how you would rank it but collectively Troy Brown's AFCCG performance on ST is in the top 5 for me. Blocked punt plus a lateral for a TD and a PR for a TD. On top his 121 receiving yards during the game.

 

[Danger Zone]

Most laughs:

 

[NG Pats Fan]

In 2002 Steelers all week talked about forcing brown to the outside on punt returns, and he ripped them right up the middle while five steelers fell on top of each other.....god I love it. Love ruining the steelers dreams..such a hateful fan base

 

[sb1]

Maybe if “Patriots History” is the 2010’s.

 

[slam]

Should we take credit for:

I submit non-ironically that this is one of the greatest special teams plays in Franchise history.

The Colts do something very unusual. No one on defense panics. They organize in front of our eyes, diagnose the formation, rearranged the formation remembering training that probably happened only one day during training camp. In the end, they knew what was going on more than the Colts did.

I truly believe that this is one of Belichick's favorite plays. It's everything they preach organizationally condensed into one play.

 

[brdmaverick]

In 2002 Steelers all week talked about forcing brown to the outside on punt returns, and he ripped them right up the middle while five steelers fell on top of each other.....god I love it. Love ruining the steelers dreams..such a hateful fan base

If you watch any of those 'behind the scenes' programs (maybe 3GTG?) it shows Cowher going crazy that the refs spotted the ball on the wrong hash. The play before was called back due to a penalty and I think the refs did put the ball on the wrong has, but Cowher laid into the refs as if it were their fault that Troy Brown returned the punt for a td (which of course is utter nonsense).

 

[supafly]

Ellis Hobbs’ kickoff returns in the AFCCG (2006) would’ve surely gone down as one of the top 10 single games had we not been robbed of another SB appearance and likely victory.

220 total yards on KO returns that day.

 

[Bruins29]

BTW the OP is the same idiot who said Gilmore would never play another snap for us when he was out. Called him dumb.

Talk about irony.

 

[TB_Helmet]

BTW the OP is the same idiot who said Gilmore would never play another snap for us when he was out. Called him dumb.

Talk about irony.

He's only on the practice squad though. Give him time. Or maybe he'll get claimed by another team's forum.

 

[dafoe2016]

Off the top of my head I would have to go with the Dan Connolly kickoff return.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

I'm partial to Adam's SB36 winner. Ball on 36, Brady throws short pass to Wiggins to the 30, just trying to get the FG within 50yds. No real attempt to get a shorter kick. Attitude appeared to be, "He's got this 48yder. We're going to win our first title." Adam goes out and drills it right down the middle, would have been good from 65yds. No Scott Norwood wide right ********. No capitalising on the other team screwing up like muffing a punt, failing to secure the ball on a kickoff or blowing their punt coverage. Just pure execution under intense pressure to win the first title in the franchise's history as one of the biggest underdogs ever.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Uncle Rico]

Great thread. Really highlights the role of special teams in the Belichick era. Even if the contributions here don't fully satisfy the "all time" aspect to the satisfaction of us geezers -- I think a case is made that such great plays are much more frequent under BB.

Can't imagine many other fan bases having such a well-stocked thread on great ST plays by their team.

 

[Tony2046]

I'm using this thread as an excuse to post one of my favorite Career highlight videos I found on YouTube.

But in my defense it shows a lot of Troy Brown's special teams play. The return against Philly (which I believe was called back) was just insane.

 

[JJR4884]

Brandon Tate's 97 yd return against Cinci is notable. That stutter step them explodes right through the heart of the Bengals. Please excuse the music, can't find any other version on youtube. Miss him returning kicks....

 

[PatsDeb]

Oh and who could forget the Edelman kick off fumble return for TD mere seconds after the butt fumble?

This one came to mind and also Troy Brown's and Antwan Harri's FG block/return for TD in Pittsburgh in the 2001 AFC Championship Game!
tlaham88

 

[PatsDeb]

So many awesome plays by our team! You forget about some of them until you see them here.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Oh and who could forget the Edelman kick off fumble return for TD mere seconds after the butt fumble?

Completely forgot about that.

Must have to do with some chemical being released in the brain while you are still laughing so hard. Same reason why you can only remember the bad jokes and none of the great/funny jokes.

 

[tasmlab]

I would put Amendolas 2 PT conversion up there for sure in SB51. You could say the same for Whites 2 pointer also.

Does it count as special teams if it is Tom Brady and the whole offense running an offensive play? Seems to me like it's outside the category/definition.

 

[Bruins29]

Does it count as special teams if it is Tom Brady and the whole offense running an offensive play? Seems to me like it's outside the category/definition.

Its a special teams play.