Revisiting the 2001 Patriots

[scott99]

So, they have a bunch of Patriot’s games from that 2001 season on YouTube. And was watching Brady’s first NFL start vs the Colts. Pats were 0-2 coming into the game, facing the AFC East 2-0 division leading Colts (yes you youngsters, they used to be in our division). It was a season ender if they lose that game. Pats KILLED the Colts.

A 24 year old Tom Brady didn’t do anything spectacular in that game, though he did make some nice throws that would’ve made Pat’s fans back then go, “hmmm”.

Next game, the Pats laid an egg, played horribly vs the Dolphins and lost an ugly game. 1-3 record. This coming off an 5-11 record. Things look dismal. Lost our high priced Pro Bowl QB, Brady looks ordinary to bad, our season looks doomed.

Heading into a game vs the Chargers, with a 1-3 record, and with a basically inexperienced QB. Heading towards 1-4. But this would be Brady’s coming out party. It was his first NFL come from behind masterpiece, first of many, and truly a show of what kind of QB Brady would become. It was his only 300 yard game that season, but was just a brilliant comeback. I think the Pats were behind 10 in the 4th quarter, and Brady brought them back to tie late, and drove them down the field in OT for the game winning FG (sounds familiar).

They would win the next game, to go 3-3, things are looking up. But then the Pats, once again laid an egg. Brady throws 5 INTs after a brilliant game the week before. We lose to Denver, the Broncos owned the Pats back then.

They win the next 2 games to go 5-4, but then lose the next game vs the Rams, but quite differently, this loss, they played a Super Bowl contender, the team with the best record, blow for blow. It was a game that gave the Patriots a ton of confidence in themselves.

They would not lose another game that season. They would go 9-0 the rest of the way, including the playoffs and the SB.

Just an incredible season. This was an 0-2 and 1-3 team. I couldn’t find any info about if they are the only 1-3 team to ever win a SB. I know there were a few 0-2 teams have won SBs.

But think about it, 1-3, and losing game 5 by 10 points in the 4th quarter, with basically a rookie QB, who had shown some promise, but statistically at that point, had shown nothing. Brady saved that season with that brilliant come from behind win.

1-3, and then 13-2 the rest of the way, unbelievable. And what’s more unbelievable is, they went on to win SB 36, with a basically average roster, so Belichick really deserves a lot of credit as well.

0-2, then 1-3, and then 5-5, then 9-0 wow.

Can’t believe that was 20 years ago.

 

[jmt57]

Here are some 2001 links for those interested:


America's Game: The 2001 New England Patriots (42:52)



2001 Patriots Team Yearbook (1:03:21)



Week 2, Sept 23 vs Jets (2:35:05)



Week 3, Sept 30 vs Colts (15:40)



Week 4, Oct 7 at Dolphins (2:07)



Week 5, Oct 14 vs Chargers (31:16)
2001-10-14 San Diego Chargers vs New England Patriots


Week 6, Oct 21 at Colts (3:56)
Patriots vs Colts 2001 Week 6


Week 7, Oct 28 at Broncos (2:13:19)
2001 Patriots @ Broncos


Week 8, Nov 4 at Falcons (2:08:03)
2001 Patriots @ Falcons


Week 9, Nov 11 vs Bills (2:08)
Bills vs Patriots 2001 Week 9

 

[jmt57]

Week 10, Nov 18 SNF vs Rams (1:56:17)



Week 11, Nov 25 vs Saints (24:13)



Week 12, Dec 2 at Jets (16:45)



Week 13, Dec 9 vs Browns (3:20)



Week 14, Dec 16 at Bills (2:40:37)



Week 15, Dec 22 vs Dolphins (24:34)
2001-12-22 Miami Dolphins vs New England Patriots


Week 17, Jan 6 at Panthers (3:54)
Patriots vs Panthers 2001 Week 17

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Some of the little yet big things I remember:

- I was as frustrated with Terry Glenn (RIP) when he was here as anybody. But without him that sd comeback doesn’t happen. Then we are 1-4, things are much different and that’s probably the season tbh. He earned his ring despite his behavior.

- There was a crazy chain of events / outcomes that had to happen within the final 2 weeks for us to have a shot at a bye, and they all happened. Including a weak denver team beating Oakland and the jets making a 56 yard fg as time expired to beat Oakland. And had the jets not lost to a poor buffalo team the week before they would have also been 11-5 so not sure how that would have worked in the tiebreaker.

- David Patten was knocked out during a play in buffalo, would have fumbled the ball away and probably that game as well if his body didn’t happen to be touching the sideline and the ball simultaneously while he was unconscious.

This was all before the game against Oakland even happened.

The football Gods were definitely smiling on us that year

 

[everlong]

I hope they celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2001 team the night against the Bucs. Also we should all troll the Raiders boards on the 20th anniversary of the snow bowl.

 

[sb1]

This hit changed it all, the attitude of the team, everything. The Patsies era ended right there, the New England Patriots had arrived. This to me was a moment right up there with Tek shoving his mitt in ARod's face.

 

[Hyped]

Comments:

- I was there for Brady's first start. I remember Bryan Cox laying a huge hit over the middle on Jerome Pathon...it really fired up the crowd on those metal bench seats. Great game.

- Terry Glenn....man...RIP.

- The 2001 team will always be my favorite football team...so many things had to go right that year. We got major contributions from so many players like Otis Smith, Antowain Smith, J.R. Redmond, Jermaine Wiggins, Anthony Pleasant, Roman Phifer, Bobby Hamilton, David Patten, Ken Walter, and more I am forgetting right now....

 

[sb1]

Super Bowl XXXVI: “Patriots Dynasty Begins” | Rams vs. Patriots | NFL Full Game - YouTube

Antowain was so underrated that year. One of my team MVPs that game.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Comments:

- I was there for Brady's first start. I remember Bryan Cox laying a huge hit over the middle on Jerome Pathon...it really fired up the crowd on those metal bench seats. Great game.

- Terry Glenn....man...RIP.

- The 2001 team will always be my favorite football team...so many things had to go right that year. We got major contributions from so many players like Otis Smith, Antowain Smith, J.R. Redmond, Jermaine Wiggins, Anthony Pleasant, Roman Phifer, Bobby Hamilton, David Patten, Ken Walter, and more I am forgetting right now....

Indeed, the Patriots looked dismal coming into Week 3. The media of course buried us, expecting the Colts to put us away.

5-11, 0-2...But on Patriots All Access, Bill Belichick was so calm, so relaxed, really so pleasant with Mike Lynch. As he talked personnel, strategy and preparation, it was clear how much he loves to coach football. And zero fluff and bluster, which we'd been inundated with prior with Parcells and Carroll. I felt great going into that game. Also, I'd known all along we were never going anywhere with Bledsoe. Getting him out of there was the prerequisite for us winning. Drew Bledsoe is not in my top ten quarterbacks to be Patriots at some point in their career. But Kraft loved him like he loves the flying elvis.

Like Eason, a nice person, drafted in the first round, wearing number 11, paid a lot of money, given the starting job without earning it, throwing for yards but zero of the intangibles, leadership, timing, awareness or football aptitude of Grogan or Brady.

Eason's ego is intact and his family is happy, and we have zero Super Bowl titles from the 80's to show for it.

Bledsoe's ego is bruised and his family hates Belichick, and we have six Super Bowls (so far) this century.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

List that is not absurd and ridiculous:

Best quarterbacks ever to be New England Patriots at some point in their careers:

1. Tom Brady..................his attitude alone placed him above the others right from the start
2. Steve Grogan............career trajectory similar to Brady, sabotaged by Dreith, Tatum (and Sullivan)
3. Doug Flutie................Kiam was a total idiot for not signing him and naming him the starter, regardless of who the coach was
4. Jim Plunkett...............a championship player throughout
5. Babe Parilli..................his TD record only broken in 2007 by Brady
6. Rich Gannon..............MVP
7. Cam Newton..............MVP
8. Vinny Testaverde......better overall player
9. Brian Dowling............Brady if Pats hadn't drafted him
10. Joe Kapp....................won titles in CFL & NFL

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

they went on to win SB 36, with a basically average roster

Not true. As in 1988, the Patriots had some very good veterans with playoff and Super Bowl experience, some outstanding rookies and some excellent additions acquired in the offseason.

Plus a young quarterback in his second season here who took advantage of his first extended starting opportunity in the NFL to win a bunch of close games and put the team in position to qualify for and succeed in the playoffs.

Berry blew it. Belichick didn't.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Tom Brady averaged 160 yards passing per game that season. Just to keep things in perspective if people get unreasonable about Mac. And Tom had a full year to learn before playing.

 

[RobertWeathers]

"I'd be pretty happy with 9-7."

RobertWeathers
September, 2001

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Tom Brady averaged 160 yards passing per game that season. Just to keep things in perspective if people get unreasonable about Mac. And Tom had a full year to learn before playing.

Indeed.

The stats for Flutie - and Montana, for that matter - early on were not impressive.

Keeping the kid in there to learn and gain experience and grow paid off. For Walsh.

Failing to do so forced the other one to go set passing and rushing records, win six MVP's and win three titles in Canada while the Patriots were terrible with no quarterback and little reason for us to make the trek down Route One to see them, other than the awesome uniforms.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

"I'd be pretty happy with 9-7."

RobertWeathers
September, 2001

I was never a Bledsoe fan. Sure, I rooted for him, but never fooled myself into thinking he had even the football acumen of Steve DeBerg.

Yes, all the worship of him from 1993 to this very day nauseates me.

The guy who "put the New England Patriots on the map" is Steve Grogan. And I was pissed when we dumped Plunkett for him.

 

[stephens44]

Not true. As in 1988, the Patriots had some very good veterans with playoff and Super Bowl experience, some outstanding rookies and some excellent additions acquired in the offseason.

Plus a young quarterback in his second season here who took advantage of his first extended starting opportunity in the NFL to win a bunch of close games and put the team in position to qualify for and succeed in the playoffs.

Berry blew it. Belichick didn't.

Agreed! Belichick puts more value in his kicker as well.... (1988 - facepalm....25/31 PATs and 13/24 FGs).

 

[RobertWeathers]

I was never a Bledsoe fan. Sure, I rooted for him, but never fooled myself into thinking he had even the football acumen of Steve DeBerg.

Yes, all the worship of him from 1993 to this very day nauseates me.

The guy who "put the New England Patriots on the map" is Steve Grogan. And I was pissed when we dumped Plunkett for him.

My point was just as a NEP fan, coming off a 2000 5-11 season and a history of up-n-down seasons, 9-7 would have been a nice improvement, a step in the right direction and give reason for optimism for 2002.

...which is ironic because 2002 they finished 9-7 and was a complete letdown.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Indeed.

The stats for Flutie - and Montana, for that matter - early on were not impressive.

Keeping the kid in there to learn and gain experience and grow paid off. For Walsh.

Failing to do so forced the other one to go set passing and rushing records, win six MVP's and win three titles in Canada while the Patriots were terrible with no quarterback and little reason for us to make the trek down Route One to see them, other than the awesome uniforms.

This is why when we go to Mac should stick with the kid. But I know he's going to make a lot of mistakes. And we have aging stars like McCourty Hightower Gilmore. So my ideal is actually Cam plays well and we insert Mac in 2022. If Mac plays this year it means the Pats are not Superbowl contenders. And it wouldn't be fair to expect contention from a rookie QB. I'd rather go all out and see the first 2 months with Cam if this team can compete or not first.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

My point was just as a NEP fan, coming off a 2000 5-11 season and a history of up-n-down seasons, 9-7 would have been a nice improvement, a step in the right direction and give reason for optimism for 2002.

...which is ironic because 2002 they finished 9-7 and was a complete letdown.

2002 was lot like last year's D in that they could not stop the run. 2006 was a lot like last year's Offense in that they had no TE production and bad WR production (no surprise with the same OC in both periods). This time there's no Brady to bail the offense out.

 

[RobertWeathers]

2002 was lot like last year's D in that they could not stop the run. 2005/6 was a lot like last year's Offense in that they had no TE production and bad WR production (no surprise with the same OC in both periods). This time there's no Brady to bail the offense out.

TE production in 05 and especially 06 was more than fine. WRs in 05 were Branch, Givens and Brown but keep blaming the rain on Josh.