Today In Patriots History On This Day...25 years ago

[Ian]

Morey was a fan favorite around here, and a scrappy kid who went on to become a decent special teams player elsewhere.

 

[signbabybrady]

This can't be right 25 years is too long

 

[jmt57]

This was also Bill Belichick's first game as HC of the New England Patriots.

Talk of the game was about another QB - not Brady, not Bledsoe, but Michael Bishop, who entered in the 2nd offensive series of the game.

Bishop completed a 25-yard TD pass to Kevin Faulk just before the half, and scored on 22 yard run at the end of the third quarter. He finished 9-13 for 101 yards, and also gained 50 yards rushing.

Brady was an afterthought who did not get into the game until the 4th quarter, going 3-4 for 28 yards.


This UPI article is mostly devoted to Bishop. Ironically they mention "Tim Rattay, the 49ers 7th round draft pick" but not TB12.

New England 20, San Francisco 0 - UPI Archives

Michael Bishop connected on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Faulk and rushed 22 yards for another score Monday night to lead the New England Patriots to a...

www.upi.com

Here is a more detailed column on the game below, which points out that it was "the debut of a new "Monday Night Football" broadcast team, which included the comedian Dennis Miller" as well as the first game with "a new Patriots bold blue-and-silver uniform". The article also states that 'the running of Raymont Harris and Faulk ... showed that the Patriots may have found an answer to their struggling ground game'.

Patriots Excel for Belichick; 49ers Fizzle

 

[h0c2000]

Quarter century ago tonight, a GOAT is born.​

 

[reflexblue]

Hes so young, hes trying to grow a beard

 

[PWRxWLF]

Hes so young, hes trying to grow a beard

Pre hair plugs and plastic surgery Tom.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Only thing I remember about that game was being excited about the running game. Specifically Harold Shaw and Raymont Harris.

Since then my expectations are slightly higher

 

[The Gr8est]

Ehhh….

Not sure he’ll amount to anything.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Tom was a nobody here for over a year. Folks I've spoken to saw him and chatted with him in local shops and stuff and he was like, "I play for the Patriots" and they're like, "Nice."

And he really is a down to Earth guy, so going from that to having more girls after you than Jim Craig after the Olympics would have been difficult for anybody, and it was for Tom. But, as we know, he never lost his work ethic and focus.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Ehhh….

Not sure he’ll amount to anything.

Yeah, "Let's not put him in Canton yet."

Oh, wait. He's here already. Okay.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Flashback: Tom Brady's rookie diary from Training Camp 2000

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Hes so young, hes trying to grow a beard

I don't know exactly how many games he actually dressed for that season. But it wasn't many.

After the season Belichick told him to bulk up and get stronger. I think Bill was referring to his body, but for Tom it was his determination. He was so ****ing ready when Drew went down.

 

[RobertWeathers]

He was so ****ing ready when Drew went down.

Based on Drew's play we were all ready.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Based on Drew's play we were all ready.

I've been pretty blunt about Drew Bledsoe's shortcomings and limits. And, although he racked up yards and made the Pro Bowl with the Bills, he was really a liability here his last two seasons. Kraft making him the highest paid player in the history of the league was an emotional act, which Bob totally initiated, in hopes it would elevate Drew which it didn't any more than extending Hernandez did, but also it briefly put the Patriots in the local headlines even if only for a minute or two.

But I must acknowledge that Drew Bledsoe played his ass off, comported himself admirably on and off the field, and won so many of those games all by himself. We blame Perkins and Parcells for the Super Bowl, but Drew DID get the Patriots there even if he wasn't a great playoff quarterback. We got payoff from Drew as much as you could expect from a #1 overall pick.

But you're so right, it was brutal watching him by 2001.