Events that could have changed our 6-3 SB record in the Brady BB era

[sb1]

It really is amazing that there are so many events that were close enough to swing our SB record in either direction.

More SBs likely if these events didn’t happen or went the other way:
- In the grasp
- Helmet catch
- Manningham catch
- 4th and 13
- Welker drop
- Missed XP
- Asante drop
- Gronk high ankle sprain
- Face guarding
- Welker injury
- Butler benched
- Welker benched
- 0-2 vs division to end the 2015 season


Less SBs:
- Butler int
- Kasay kickoff OB
- Tuck rule
- Bennett drop
- Andy Reid clock management
- 28-3 deficit
- Edelman catch
- Ryan sack
- Chiefs score even 1 point in the first half
- Dee Ford offside
- OT coin flip x 2
- Seahawks pass from the 1 yard line
- J-Mac breaks up a Cooks TD

Probably forgetting some

 

[bormio]

True of many football games. The line between winning and losing is often very fine.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Less: Lee Evans drop in 2011. Ravens missed field goal in 2011.

More: Gronk unavailable and Talib getting injured in the 2012 AFCCG against the Ravens. Ravens were dead to rights on offense until Talib was injured. Then it was open season on Pats DB's with Boldin going nuts. Welker drops another crucial pass on 3rd down while driving into Ravens territory with a lead. Offense pretty much sputtered the rest of the 2nd half.

I don't think the Pats would've beaten the 9ers as their D would've overpowered the Pats offense again. Their D was really f***ing good!

 

[farn]

2015 was sabotaged by injuries. Still think that was the best squad of the « second dynasty » in terms of talent (before the injuries, obv).

 

[fnordcircle]

If no Tuck Rule...

If David Patten doesn't get knocked unconscious while out of bounds...

 

[DropKickFlutie]

We probably win 2007 and 2012 with a different OC. We win 2017 if Malcolm Butler plays.

.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The tuck game and 28-3 each had about 5 plays you could point to where if any one went differently we likely lose.

in 2003 vs the titans round 2 their wr dropped a very catchable long ball on 4th down that would have put them deep in our territory to tie easily and maybe even win.

2004 is the only title year you can point to and say if we dont make this one play we were screwed.

 

[jmt57]

The tuck game and 28-3 each had about 5 plays you could point to where if any one went differently we likely lose.

in 2003 vs the titans round 2 their wr dropped a very catchable long ball on 4th down that would have put them deep in our territory to tie easily and maybe even win.

2004 is the only title year you can point to and say if we don't make this one play we were screwed.

And despite that reality, for years people would say the Patriots were just lucky, and only won each time because of Vinatieri. It was as if nobody actually watched SB 39 (or any other games).

 

[tasmlab]

The tuck game and 28-3 each had about 5 plays you could point to where if any one went differently we likely lose.

in 2003 vs the titans round 2 their wr dropped a very catchable long ball on 4th down that would have put them deep in our territory to tie easily and maybe even win.

2004 is the only title year you can point to and say if we dont make this one play we were screwed.

Not a fun example, but SB LIII was won by two scores. I guess they could've afforded one or two more mistakes and still won.

 

[sb1]

Less: Lee Evans drop in 2011. Ravens missed field goal in 2011.

More: Gronk unavailable and Talib getting injured in the 2012 AFCCG against the Ravens. Ravens were dead to rights on offense until Talib was injured. Then it was open season on Pats DB's with Boldin going nuts. Welker drops another crucial pass on 3rd down while driving into Ravens territory with a lead. Offense pretty much sputtered the rest of the 2nd half.

I don't think the Pats would've beaten the 9ers as their D would've overpowered the Pats offense again. Their D was really f***ing good!

Good catch - the Lee Evans drop and Billy Cundiff. I did not trust the defense to stop the Ravens in OT if the FG was good.

That Niners-Pats regular season game in Foxboro was fun. Almost an amazing comeback.
49ers vs. Patriots (Wk 15, 2012) | Kaepernick & Harbaugh Outlast Brady & Belichick | NFL Highlights - YouTube

I would take this Brandon Lloyd and this Kaep on the 2021 Pats....

 

[sb1]

The tuck game and 28-3 each had about 5 plays you could point to where if any one went differently we likely lose.

in 2003 vs the titans round 2 their wr dropped a very catchable long ball on 4th down that would have put them deep in our territory to tie easily and maybe even win.

2004 is the only title year you can point to and say if we dont make this one play we were screwed.

Yup that was Drew Bennett. Heart stopper. A catch and not only are the Titans at the Pats 15 yard line with time left but they also have timeouts. I'm not sure they would have been kept out of the end zone there. Pats were that close to having their season end way sooner than deserved.

2004 was with a big assist from Andy Reid blowing his clock management - Eagles down by 10 points with 5:40 remaining and the ball taking their time and not going hurry up. Scored a TD to get within 3 with only 1:50 left. Got the ball back with less than 50 seconds but at their 4 yard line and no timeouts. And even then they didn't go hurry up. Westbrook(?) inexplicably caught a 2 yard pass there and allowed even more time to run. Crazy.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Yup that was Drew Bennett. Heart stopper. A catch and not only are the Titans at the Pats 15 yard line with time left but they also have timeouts. I'm not sure they would have been kept out of the end zone there. Pats were that close to having their season end way sooner than deserved.

2004 was with a big assist from Andy Reid blowing his clock management - Eagles down by 10 points with 5:40 remaining and the ball taking their time and not going hurry up. Scored a TD to get within 3 with only 1:50 left. Got the ball back with less than 50 seconds but at their 4 yard line and no timeouts. Westbrook(?) inexplicably caught a 2 yard pass there and allowed even more time to run. Crazy.

i just remember never feeling threatened in any way in 2004. I was only slightly nervous when Pittsburgh was on our goal line and about to cut the lead to 7 but luckily they kicked that fg still just feel like that team was too good all around and too experienced/ physically imposing to lose that year.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Not a fun example, but SB LIII was won by two scores. I guess they could've afforded one or two more mistakes and still won.

The super bowl was, but the afcc couldve been lost on a few plays. I was referring to a full playoff season without a major scare

 

[Sicilian]

It really does illustrate how thin the line can be between winning and losing in any given game. I have to say though, the Welker benching doesn't count for me. I know that team was playing really well down the stretch before that game, but that happened in the divisional round and I can't give any team an automatic win in the AFCCG. It's possible they go to the Super Bowl that year, but it's not like they were one play away from it in reality.

 

[Pape]

Less

Vrabel getting called for smacking Warner in the face on the Ty Law Pick 6 in XXXVI

More

How about not putting 5'9" Ellis Hobbs in single coverage on 6'5" Plaxico Burress in XLII

 

[sb1]

Plenty of ammo to fire back at anyone who says Brady is lucky to win 6 Super Bowls. Lol

 

[The Brandon Five]

It really is amazing that there are so many events that were close enough to swing our SB record in either direction.

More SBs likely if these events didn’t happen or went the other way:
- In the grasp
- Helmet catch
- Manningham catch
- 4th and 13
- Welker drop
- Missed XP
- Asante drop
- Gronk high ankle sprain
- Face guarding
- Welker injury
- Butler benched
- Welker benched
- 0-2 vs division to end the 2015 season


Less SBs:
- Butler int
- Kasay kickoff OB
- Tuck rule
- Bennett drop
- Andy Reid clock management
- 28-3 deficit
- Edelman catch
- Ryan sack
- Chiefs score even 1 point in the first half
- Dee Ford offside
- OT coin flip x 2
- Seahawks don’t run from the 1 yard line
- J-Mac saves a Cooks TD

Probably forgetting some

BS calls in the regular season game @DEN in 2015

 

[The Brandon Five]

Less

Vrabel getting called for smacking Warner in the face on the Ty Law Pick 6 in XXXVI

More

How about not putting 5'9" Ellis Hobbs in single coverage on 6'5" Plaxico Burress in XLII

How about not blitzing to create that matchup? They had no timeouts. The Giants were down 4. Your only goal is to prevent a TD. The defensive call created the best chance for them to score. So they did. Still pisses me off.

 

[Pape]

How about not blitzing to create that matchup? They had no timeouts. The Giants were down 4. Your only goal is to prevent a TD. The defensive call crested the best chance for them to score. So they did. Still pisses me off.

i hate dean pees

 

[Steve102]

More:

Seymour sacks Eli on the helmet catch.

If the fix wasn't in vs Philly.

Less:

Mike Martz doesn't play into Bill's hands.