Revisiting the 2001 Patriots

[Actual Pats Fan]

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

Ouch!

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

If Mac plays this year it means the Pats are not Superbowl contenders

I would never limit our possibilities.

Belichick is still head and shoulders above the other coaches.

Each year is unique. I concede nothing.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

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.

Oh, I wouldn't say complete. You can't win every year. Brady got some crucial experience. As long as we had him, we had a good chance to win.

Then when we got Harrison I was like Wow.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

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.

Thanks for that. Updated to 2006. That's right, 2005 was still residual off the Weiss team and 2006 showed the total lack of understanding for TE play and also crap WRs like Caldwell. Just as bad as the second half of Brady's last season here, as just as bad as all of last season or the terrible 2010 Broncos and league-worst-offense 2011 Rams, eerily similar crappy offenses. But let's keep pretending it's only Cam who is the problem.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Oh, I wouldn't say complete. You can't win every year. Brady got some crucial experience. As long as we had him, we had a good chance to win.

Then when we got Harrison I was like Wow.

...and that 03 team still had a tough time getting respect.

Except all they did was win 15 games in a row and make a play when they had to every. damn. time.

 

[jmt57]

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

RobertWeathers
September, 2001

At the time I would have been happy with another five-win season; 3-13 would not have been a surprise.

It had been 15 years since the Celtics won a title, double that for the Bruins, and never in anybody's entire lifetime for the Red Sox. The Patriots were another Boston sports team that would occasionally tease but never win it all.

From where I sat at the time I saw three good players: Willie McGinest, who was somewhat inconsistent the previous couple of seasons; Bledsoe, who was regressing and was now out indefinitely; and Terry Glenn, who was already suspended and now had nobody to throw him the ball.

To say I was not optimistic would be a huge understatement. So happy that I was so incredibly incorrect.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

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.

I wish I could find the reference, it might have been in Patriots Reign but I’m not positive.…. anyway, what I find the most interesting was Brady’s reaction to that Dolphin game. He basically said after that ugly loss, that was the game where he truly realized he could play in the NFL. I’m paraphrasing, “The Dolphins are supposed to be the best team in the AFC, and that’s all they’ve got?! That’s the difference between a real NFL defense and a college defense?! All I have to do is x, y, and z, and I’ll be able to beat them easily.” Quite an interesting reaction and explains a lot about Brady’s subsequent success.

 

[Hyped]

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.

Dunno man....Bledsoe is most definitely one of the better QB's in Patriots history....my short list:

Brady
Bledsoe
Grogan
Parilli/Cappelletti
Plunkett
Flutie
Eason

 

[RobertWeathers]

Thanks for that. Updated to 2006. That's right, 2005 was still residual off the Weiss team and 2006 showed the total lack of understanding for TE play and also crap WRs like Caldwell. Just as bad as the second half of Brady's last season here, as just as bad as all of last season or the terrible 2010 Broncos and league-worst-offense 2011 Rams, eerily similar crappy offenses.

Your post still doesn't make sense. The numbers do not agree with you.

But let's keep pretending it's only Cam who is the problem.

Cam sucks.

The lack of talent question at TE and WR has been resolved.

If Mac kicks ass your, "Blame Josh" campaign is dead and even outlandish now.

 

[Hyped]

At the time I would have been happy with another five-win season; 3-13 would not have been a surprise.

It had been 15 years since the Celtics won a title, double that for the Bruins, and never in anybody's entire lifetime for the Red Sox. The Patriots were another Boston sports team that would occasionally tease but never win it all.

From where I sat at the time I saw three good players: Willie McGinest, who was somewhat inconsistent the previous couple of seasons; Bledsoe, who was regressing and was now out indefinitely; and Terry Glenn, who was already suspended and now had nobody to throw him the ball.

To say I was not optimistic would be a huge understatement. So happy that I was so incredibly incorrect.

We also had Law and Milloy though.....as well as Woody at center....

 

[RobertWeathers]

At the time I would have been happy with another five-win season; 3-13 would not have been a surprise.

It had been 15 years since the Celtics won a title, double that for the Bruins, and never in anybody's entire lifetime for the Red Sox. The Patriots were another Boston sports team that would occasionally tease but never win it all.

From where I sat at the time I saw three good players: Willie McGinest, who was somewhat inconsistent the previous couple of seasons; Bledsoe, who was regressing and was now out indefinitely; and Terry Glenn, who was already suspended and now had nobody to throw him the ball.

To say I was not optimistic would be a huge understatement. So happy that I was so incredibly incorrect.

It is incredible to think about.

From the 2000 season, the franchise QB and leader in receiving yards and TDs had very little to contribute to a World Champion the following year.

That. Just. Doesn't. Happen.

 

[sb1]

The famous Dr. Z power rankings that started it all...

 

[Chevy]

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....

I made it back to the states in time to see the Chargers game (at a sports bar in Manchester, NH). Then traveled a bit more west and got to go to the Denver game (disappointing loss, but they never gave up).

Returned to Bosnia and watched the rest at the coffee bar (Alma's) on Eagle Base - when they were on. One of my favorite memories was after the SB, a USO tour came through. I was at the DFAC (chow hall), proudly wearing my SB 36 hat and Pats leather jacket when i head a bunch of boos from the entrance. Part of the tour - the Raider's Cheerleaders.

 

[Chevy]

Thanks for that. Updated to 2006. That's right, 2005 was still residual off the Weiss team and 2006 showed the total lack of understanding for TE play and also crap WRs like Caldwell. Just as bad as the second half of Brady's last season here, as just as bad as all of last season or the terrible 2010 Broncos and league-worst-offense 2011 Rams, eerily similar crappy offenses. But let's keep pretending it's only Cam who is the problem.

As bad as the Pats luck has been with receivers most seasons, and TE production many as well, this organization managed to go from 2001 through 2019 without a losing or .500 season. 20 seasons they went to 45% of the Superbowls. The BB/TB perfect storm. Well, we still have BB ... Find a Qb that is 80% of TB and this team is back in it. 90% and the dominance will rise again.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The famous power rankings that started it all...
View attachment 34274

I said that same 2nd sentence in 2019 and 2020.

 

[NCPATSFAN1971]

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.

Speaking of Flutie, I don't think Berry liked Flutie's style much all. I was at a Game when Berry reluctantly put Flutie in. It was a cloudy windy shtty day in November. Eason had been the Starting QB and it was 123 Punt, 123 Punt the entire game up until about 1/2 way through the third quarter. I think we were down by 17 points or so and what was left of the crowd was not happy including me. All of a sudden Flutie took off his jacket, began to warm up and the crowd began to come alive. I could feel the hope and momentum getting ready to change. Like I said before it had been very windy and the Flag had been blowing straight out. I happened to look at the flag right as Flutie took the field and it went limp as if some kind of divine intervention took over. Flutie led the team in for a score on his first possesion and we went on to win the game.
It's just too bad that after that game Raymond Berry who didn't like that scrambling stuff, stubbornly tried to turn Flutie into a drop back passer. Maybe things might have been different if he would have let Flutie be Flutie.

 

[sb1]

Prisco complaining about the Pats offense after they won was fun too

Power Rankings: Teams to follow the leader Pats - CBS SportsLine (archive.org)

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

...and that 03 team still had a tough time getting respect.

Except all they did was win 15 games in a row and make a play when they had to every. damn. time.

They hate their coach LOL

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Speaking of Flutie, I don't think Berry liked Flutie's style much all. I was at a Game when Berry reluctantly put Flutie in. It was a cloudy windy shtty day in November. Eason had been the Starting QB and it was 123 Punt, 123 Punt the entire game up until about 1/2 way through the third quarter. I think we were down by 17 points or so and what was left of the crowd was not happy including me. All of a sudden Flutie took off his jacket, began to warm up and the crowd began to come alive. I could feel the hope and momentum getting ready to change. Like I said before it had been very windy and the Flag had been blowing straight out. I happened to look at the flag right as Flutie took the field and it went limp as if some kind of divine intervention took over. Flutie led the team in for a score on his first possesion and we went on to win the game.
It's just too bad that after that game Raymond Berry who didn't like that scrambling stuff, stubbornly tried to turn Flutie into a drop back passer. Maybe things might have been different if he would have let Flutie be Flutie.

Berry had no respect for Flutie at all, and no understanding of Doug's aptitude and football acumen. He was coaching the Patriots when Doug was a senior and obviously knew nothing more than the media narrative that he'd get killed due to his stature. ABC broadcaster Frank Broyles on the other hand saw clearly that Flutie was the wild card in any game he played. And Flutie won.

Berry put him in in absolute desperation and he pulled out a last second win over the Colts, and proceeded to win six more games including over the Bengals and Bears. Berry expressed shock at Doug's success which only revealed his ignorance. Regardless, Berry was going to start Eason over Flutie, Grogan, Unitas or Brady. It didn't matter.

After correctly, mercifully dumping Berry and Eason, if Kiam had signed Doug as our starter the stands would have been filled and we'd at least be in the playoffs. Doug simply did not lose at Foxborough or the Meadowlands, and he played very well in his childhood hometown state of Florida.

 

[NCPATSFAN1971]

Berry had no respect for Flutie at all, and no understanding of Doug's aptitude and football acumen. He was coaching the Patriots when Doug was a senior and obviously knew nothing more than the media narrative that he'd get killed due to his stature. ABC broadcaster Frank Broyles on the other hand saw clearly that Flutie was the wild card in any game he played. And Flutie won.

Berry put him in in absolute desperation and he pulled out a last second win over the Colts, and proceeded to win six more games including over the Bengals and Bears. Berry expressed shock at Doug's success which only revealed his ignorance. Regardless, Berry was going to start Eason over Flutie, Grogan, Unitas or Brady. It didn't matter.

After correctly, mercifully dumping Berry and Eason, if Kiam had signed Doug as our starter the stands would have been filled and we'd at least be in the playoffs. Doug simply did not lose at Foxborough or the Meadowlands, and he played very well in his childhood hometown state of Florida.

Good memory! Yes it was the Colts game that I saw Flutie came in.

For whatever reason, Berry loved Eason over Grogan and Flutie. Eason always seemed kind of wimpy to me. Grogan always showed grit. But Berry was stubborn to the end.