Who are the 5 most important key players to make this season a championship team?

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Which top 5 players do you feel has to have a top level season to make this team a championship one?

my choices ...

1) Brady - Always the most important cog in this machine,As Brady goes so do the Pats.

2) McCourty - I still think he is our best player at CB and a repeat of his rookie year will solidify a vulnerable secondary.

3) Solder - Light is gone and it appears Solder will take over Brady's blindside,his performance could be everything to the health of Brady.

4) Spikes - Has been a very solid run stopper and opposing teams often lose if they get into a throwing war with Brady and company.

5) Chung - The best safety on the team and with slot receivers and tight ends going over the middle with success more often now than ever,he must manage that area and also help out the CBs should they get overpowered by some of the better offenses.



I reluctantly left out Wilfork because I believe this team has improved the defensive front much more than last season and with the rookies aboard and veterans like Fanene,Brace,Warren,Carpenter and Nincovich,I think Warren has an all around better cast to blend in with.

Lloyd should get consideration because he can stretch the field,but this team did pretty well without him in 2011 so he doesn't make my list.

 

[aluminum seats]

McCourty for sure...if he gets it back, I think that's transformative for the secondary.

Beyond that, health for the offensive line.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

1. Brady

2. Wilfork


the rest are somewhat replaceable. Without those 2, we are screwed.

 

[BradyManny]

Probably Brady and the 5 guys blocking for him. We have such an abundance of talent at the skill positions that we have some depth there, but we need our QB healthy to get the ball to them. Of course, in terms of the OL, between Scar and Brady you feel like they can plug in anyone there and have success against most teams.

 

[Efstratios]

1: Brady
2: Wilfork
3: Solder
4: Gronk
5: Either Welker, Lloyd, or Spikes.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Cannon
Solder
McCourty
Dowling
Jones

If three of these five players can play at a high level, that's the key. If none of them standout, we will have some major holes to overcome.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

2 words - Tavon Freaking Wilson

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Brady
Chung
Ridley
Wilfork
Gronk

 

[borg]

One player makes or breaks this season.......

Volmer.

Without a starting caliber RT.......a can't see this team reaching the promised land.

 

[signbabybrady]

1) Brady
2) Solder
3) Vollmer
4) Mankins
5) Gronk

IMO and last year submitted as evidence if Brady and this O is clicking little matters on the defensive side. OK last years D was better then they get credit for they were middle of the pack when everyone called them dead last. good thing is there are many reasons to think they are much improved when all the really need to be is middle of the pack again if this O goes off like last year again.

So with that said Brady and protecting him is the most important thing. I think cener and RG are not as important as LT, LG and RT to so I left them off.

After Brady and his protection I see Gronk as the next most important piece and not because I feel TE is that important but because Gronk is just that damn good. It was a toss up between Gronk and Vince for this same reason with Gronk getting the nod because of the reason noted above about the D only needing to be average if the O is as good as advertised.

 

[logan1130]

1. Brady
2. O-Line as a whole
3. Wilfork
4. Spikes, when he's healthy our defense is MUCH better.
5. McCourty

 

[jsull87]

Which top 5 players do you feel has to have a top level season to make this team a championship one?

my choices ...

1) Brady - Always the most important cog in this machine,As Brady goes so do the Pats.

2) McCourty - I still think he is our best player at CB and a repeat of his rookie year will solidify a vulnerable secondary.

3) Solder - Light is gone and it appears Solder will take over Brady's blindside,his performance could be everything to the health of Brady.

4) Spikes - Has been a very solid run stopper and opposing teams often lose if they get into a throwing war with Brady and company.

5) Chung - The best safety on the team and with slot receivers and tight ends going over the middle with success more often now than ever,he must manage that area and also help out the CBs should they get overpowered by some of the better offenses.



I reluctantly left out Wilfork because I believe this team has improved the defensive front much more than last season and with the rookies aboard and veterans like Fanene,Brace,Warren,Carpenter and Nincovich,I think Warren has an all around better cast to blend in with.

Lloyd should get consideration because he can stretch the field,but this team did pretty well without him in 2011 so he doesn't make my list.

Top Level to me means Pro Bowl worthy season.

Honestly i would say. (not just make playoffs but win a championship)

1.) Brady ( because if he has a PB season then obviously the rest of our Offense has gone well)
2.) McCourty
3.) Chung
4.) Ras-I
5.) Solder

I swapped Ras-I in for your Spikes as i believe that if you have one of the top passing D's in the NFL and you have Tom Brady given time by his OL, that is the recipe for success.

Ras-I, Chung and McCourty have PB seasons and i think this team has a championship year with the defense matching the O.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I know running isn't a big part of the pats...but i think Ridley needs to be huge this year or postseason if they want a ring

 

[1960Pats]

I know running isn't a big part of the pats...but i think Ridley needs to be huge this year or postseason if they want a ring

As professor Terguson said to Thornton Melon, I like the way you think.

I don't care as much who runs it as long as they run the ball.

 

[ausbacker]

1. Brady.
2. Wilfork.
3. Gronkowski - the Superbowl proved his importance.
4. Chung - needs to finally do something other than being a pain in my *******s.
5. Koppen/Connolly.

 

[Ring 6]

With Brady the offense is good enough to be a SB favorite regardless of any issues with the other 10.
So the top 5 are all on defense. Wilfork and Mayo aren't key because we know at least what we get from them is enough. The key to the season is defending the pass, in coverage and rushing the QB.

1) McCourty
2) Dowling
3) Jones
4) Chung
5) Fanene

with Arrington, Gregory, Cunningham/Scott/Nink/Bequette all in the mix.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

As professor Terguson said to Thornton Melon, I like the way you think.

I don't care as much who runs it as long as they run the ball.

And no fumbles..but that will be hard BJGE was a freak in that category

 

[Brettlax3434]

I will leave Brady out because his impact can go unspoken. I believe Wilfork has a simular impact although not as large.

1. Spikes - The defense was worlds better with him in last season.
2. Dowling - I have lost faith in McCourty playing man to man non-zone concepts; although he can still be very good, i believe Dowling has potential to be our number one.
3. Solder - Brady's blind side.
4. Chung - We need a solid HEALTHY year from our best saftey. If he and Dowling are healthy we could be worlds better.
5. Jones - Can he make an impact to give us a solid pass ruch? We lost Carter and Anderson, someone needs to rush the passer. I though about putting Cunningham here but we have seen little from him. Hopefully someone steps up.

--Side note. Dante Hightower is going to be an animal. I can not wait to see him play. He has potential to be a game changer. Roll Tide.

 

[ay-yo]

The most important players for a championship and our best players are 2 different things IMO. Brady, Welker, Wilfork, Gronk and Mayo are our 5 best players IMO but if we win a championship it's just a given we will get big contributions from all of them. Similarly I expect important contributions from all of the following and have a reasonable idea of what to expect from this group: Solder, AH, Lloyd, Conolly, Nink, Spikes but don't see a lot of . The x factor players that we need to step up are:

1. Chandler Jones - we lost Carter and Anderson from a poor defense last year. We can't afford for the D to get worse and this production desperately needs to be replaced. It could be Scott, Bequette, Francis or Cunningham who replace this production but Jones has the best chance to actually do it.

2. Hightower - there are more competent players in front of him than Jones but he's been getting raves reviews all camp. If he has a DROY type season it would be huge for us.

3-5. Vollmer / Mankins / Waters - Give Brady time and the O is unstoppable. I'm worried about the current situation. Even if they are all healthy by week 1 they still need time to practice technique, round into form and gel as a unit.

 

[ausbacker]

The most important players for a championship and our best players are 2 different things IMO. Brady, Welker, Wilfork, Gronk and Mayo are our 5 best players IMO but if we win a championship it's just a given we will get big contributions from all of them. Similarly I expect important contributions from all of the following and have a reasonable idea of what to expect from this group: Solder, AH, Lloyd, Conolly, Nink, Spikes but don't see a lot of . The x factor players that we need to step up are:

1. Chandler Jones - we lost Carter and Anderson from a poor defense last year. We can't afford for the D to get worse and this production desperately needs to be replaced. It could be Scott, Bequette, Francis or Cunningham who replace this production but Jones has the best chance to actually do it.

2. Hightower - there are more competent players in front of him than Jones but he's been getting raves reviews all camp. If he has a DROY type season it would be huge for us.

3-5. Vollmer / Mankins / Waters - Give Brady time and the O is unstoppable. I'm worried about the current situation. Even if they are all healthy by week 1 they still need time to practice technique, round into form and gel as a unit.

I went with proven or senior players as I have no idea what the rookies are going to contribute this season. Given that statement, if the rookies have a major and early impact, they hit this list and they hit it hard.