Filling the gap

[edgecy]

Ever since the end of the free agency period everybody have been predicting the end of the Patriots Dynasty, citing losses of WG, AV and DG. I was just looking on SI's NFL preview and found this:

Filling in

The Patriots used 45 different players in their 2005 starting lineups, a post-merger record for a division champion. The former record? It was held by the 2003 Patriots, who used 42 different starters en route to a Super Bowl win. As for the division winner with the third-most starters employed? The 2004 Pats used 40. To give an indication of how that turnover normally works out for teams, the only clubs to use more starters in 2005 than New England were the 49ers and Cardinals (47 each). They went a combined 9–23.

Just some food for thought.

 

[njpatsfan]

We fans around here take it for granted that this coaching staff will make the most out of WHOEVER is available to play on any given week. They've been doing it for YEARS. We won two super bowls while recording season records for games lost to injuries by starters.

It's also the reason that we don't understand the media's gloom and doom prediction about the three free agent losses.

We've won 3 SB's out of five - and still are competetive to win it all. How many 2001 SB players made it to the 2004 championship team ? I for one feel that each succeeding Belichick team has been better than the previous one, and only the inordinate amount of injuries have kept us from reaching our full potential.

The media is supremely ignorant in that it thinks that a championship team needs to be frozen in time to have any chance of repeating, yet teams that fell short (far short in the case of Miami) who make huge changes with injured FAs and rookies are picked to win it all .....

Senseless.


R

 

[Pats726]

Ever since the end of the free agency period everybody have been predicting the end of the Patriots Dynasty, citing losses of WG, AV and DG. I was just looking on SI's NFL preview and found this:

Filling in

The Patriots used 45 different players in their 2005 starting lineups, a post-merger record for a division champion. The former record? It was held by the 2003 Patriots, who used 42 different starters en route to a Super Bowl win. As for the division winner with the third-most starters employed? The 2004 Pats used 40. To give an indication of how that turnover normally works out for teams, the only clubs to use more starters in 2005 than New England were the 49ers and Cardinals (47 each). They went a combined 9–23.

Just some food for thought.

I knew last year was worse...didn't realize how many...but the FO does what is best and the team does great!! I thought Bb did his best coaching job ever, to take that injured and hammered team and get 2 games away from the Bowl. That to me was incredible!!

 

[Crowpointer]

I thought Bb did his best coaching job ever, to take that injured and hammered team and get 2 games away from the Bowl. That to me was incredible!!

I agree completely. The number 45 will be the legacy of the 2005 team and people will look back years from now and wonder how BB got us that far. It is amazing that other teams fans overlook this fact and think the dynasty is over. If you go to other teams fans sites the popular prediction is not only that Miami will win the division but that the Pats won't even make the playoffs ! I can't wait for the season to begin to see these same peoples reaction that the Beast of New Engalnd is alive and well.

 

[Pats726]

I agree completely. The number 45 will be the legacy of the 2005 team and people will look back years from now and wonder how BB got us that far. It is amazing that other teams fans overlook this fact and think the dynasty is over. If you go to other teams fans sites the popular prediction is not only that Miami will win the division but that the Pats won't even make the playoffs ! I can't wait for the season to begin to see these same peoples reaction that the Beast of New Engalnd is alive and well.

If one looks at things like the inactive lists of the past few years...
last year it was FILLED with 7 players many weeks..injured and out..in 03, it happened only a few times..and a bit more in 04. it happened a GREAt deal in 05...many many more inactives due to injury than in both 03 and 04. And given how a coach has to have Plan B and C ready and has all these players questionable, it's hard to make moves..what is the right move or the wrong move to cover all bases. I mean take into account all the IRs all the inactives and the injury lists and even all the bumps and bruises NOT on that list..and BB did an incredible job to manage the team week in and out..making good moves and not reacting..I mean..just incredible!!!

 

[Mike the Brit]

The Pats' Injuries

The fact that the Patriots have overcome so many injuries and still succeeded is an amazing tribute to the coaching.

At the end of the regular 2004 season (Dec 24) I did a comparative inventory of injuries between football teams, adding together the numbers on injured reserve to those on the injury list as "out" or "doubtful" (the Patriots were listing players as "doubtful" or "questionable" who didn't play at all).

These are the figures (not complete) still on my computer:

Arizona Cardinals 11
Atlanta Falcons 14
Baltimore Ravens 13
Buffalo Bills 8
Carolina Panthers 15
Chicago Bears 15
Cincinnati Bengals 21
Cleveland Browns 16
Dallas Cowboys 11
Denver Broncos 12
Detroit Lions 7
Green Bay Packers 11
Houston Texans 10
Indianapolis Colts 8
Jacksonville Jaguars 11
Kansas City Chiefs 12
Miami Dolphins 18
Minnesota Vikings 10
New England Patriots 21
New Orleans Saints 10
New York Giants 20
New York Jets 5
Oakland Raiders 17
Philadelphia Eagles 13
San Diego Chargers 9
San Francisco 49ers 11
Seattle Seahawks 17
St Louis Rams 9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3

What's notable was

(1) that we had the worst injury record (with the Bengals) -- though Carolina and Chicago may have suffered more, given that their injuries were concentrated at RB and QB respectively

(2) we didn't, in fact, have a LOT more than some other teams

(3) but no other team with anything like as many injuries as ours was remotely competitive in the play-offs, let alone going on to win a Superbowl, as we did.

A remarkable achievement.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Nice catch Edge!

 

[edgecy]

Thanks, I do what I can.