Best Patriots Regular Season Win under BB

loshjott

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I'm not sure if this has been mentioned but one of the most satisfying wins for me was Week 2 in 2008. Matt Cassel, in his first career start one week after you-know-what, beat Brett Favre and the Jets in the New Jersey Toilet.
 

8slim

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So many of the Belichick-Brady era games have been mentioned, so I’ll go a bit older school…

The first 1997 Tuna Bowl game against the Jets. Man, oh man, did I *HATE* Parcells after the bullshit he pulled during Super Bowl week. I couldn’t rationally contemplate losing to that a-hole after he abandoned the franchise. Pats didn’t play great, Bledsoe had a really off game, but Curtis Martin had FOURTY carries for 199 yards and we eeked out the win in OT. Just a phenomenal F.U. game.
 

tims4wins

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Jesus I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned the possibly most important win of the entire dynasty. 2001. Week 5. Pats are 1-3. Lost first 2 with Drew. Won with Brady against the Colts with Brady. Got trounced in Miami the following game.

Flutie and the Chargers came to town. And had a 10 point lead in the 4th. The Pats faced a 4th and 2 from their own 48 with 6 minutes to play. BB - in a sign of things to come - goes for it. Conversion. FG on that drive. TD to Wiggins next drive. AV FG in OT to win it. Gets the team to 2-3.

The 4th and 2 may have been the single most important play in the entire dynasty.
 

Humphrey

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Ha I mentioned both - including like 5 games from 2003. That was probably my favorite season all things considered
2003 really was a ridiculous year. They also won in OT in Miami (another place where, at the time, they never won) on an 82 yard Brady to Troy Brown bomb after Olindo Mare missed a short FG kicking off of the dirt baseball infield.
Bill threw his hat (or was it a clipboard) in the air when they won. Reminded me of this. View: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1051540635007315
 

tims4wins

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jmcc5400

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No one came up with this one, from 2012, the 9-3 Pats versus the invincible 11-1 Houston Texans. The Texans arrived wearing some bullshit letterman jackets. https://www.houstontexans.com/news/texans-wear-letterman-jackets-on-trip-to-new-england-9048823. Final Score, NE 42 Houston 14. Pats lost the AFCCG to the Ravens after blowing out the Texans a second time in the divisional round.
I think that was the one in which Brady finally faked the handoff on the stretch run to the right and Collinsworth just went “oh no” because the touchdown pass was so wide open.

Edit: Guess it was Gruden. Around the 5:30 mark here:

View: https://youtu.be/etY9I_cn4kQ
 
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Cousin Walter

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Jun 26, 2006
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I don't think anyone has mentioned the David Patten game against the Colts in 2001: 2 TDs receiving, 1 TD rushing, 1 TD pass. Just shows all the ways that team found to win.
 

dcdrew10

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I think that was the one in which Brady finally faked the handoff on the stretch run to the right and Collinsworth just went “oh no” because the touchdown pass was so wide open.

Edit: Guess it was Gruden. Around the 5:30 mark here:

View: https://youtu.be/etY9I_cn4kQ
Man, did JJ Watt's prime get wasted. I appreciate how much he cared about Houston and what he did for the people of area, but it was like the defensive equivalent of watching Barry Sanders play for the Lions.
 

tims4wins

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This tweet brought me back to this thread. I mentioned the 2001 New Orleans game. It was the game right after the loss to the Rams on SNF. Drew had been cleared to play vs the Rams but suited up as the backup. With the Pats playing competitively vs the Rams, but falling short mostly due to the offense (only 10 points scored; 7 came via a T-Buckley pick-6; Antowain Smith also had a costly fumble inside the Rams’ 5 yard line right before halftime; and as an aside, that should have been forward progress, but I digress). Anyway, there was a lot of discussion particularly that week about whether or not to re-insert Drew as the starter. The thinking was that the defense was coming together but they needed more production from the offense, and Drew might be able to provide that boost. 20 years ago TODAY this press conference took place, with the Saints on the horizon. The Saints were pretty good. BB spoke these words, then Brady went out and had one of his best games of the season. And the rest, as they say, is history. So yeah I am comfortable calling it one of the most important regular season wins of the entire era.

View: https://twitter.com/patstimemachine/status/1462073255397892098?s=21
 

JOBU

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That Saints game was the first Patriots I ever went to. I didn’t watch a lot of Pats games back then so I barely knew who TB or BB were. I was only 17 at the time but I believed he was just a flash in the pan/hot hand type and would be a back up or out of the league in a few years (haha). The row in front of me there was this lady. Who kept yelling “C’mon Tahm, let’s go Tahm (heavy Boston accent). Haha. Crazy to think that was 20 freaking years ago and Brady is still crushing it. I also almost lost a toe when a big guy in front of me sat down and crunched my foot between the seat back and the folding seat bottom. Did that happen to anybody else in the seat back section of foxboro stadium? Good times
 

jmcc5400

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That ending in Pittsburgh is, to paraphrase the famous song, “Still Fucking Hilarrrrrrious After all These Years.”
It’s really incredible. Very much a regular season version of the Seahawks ending. Such a great tackle to keep the clock running on the 2nd down play.
 

Dollar

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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7jXe7JMPu0


He basically just took over that entire drive.
It was so weird that, starting at the 8:45 mark of that video, Nantz and Romo went from saying it was a definite touchdown to immediately changing their tune completely and saying it was incomplete, and it didn't really correspond to watching the replay at the same time. I'm still 99% sure that right then something weird happened like someone from the NFL office called over to the CBS crew to let them know what was going on. It was a very bizarre broadcasting moment.
 

bunchabums

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Jul 16, 2005
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The two pages and links above make this point -- but worth saying anyway. The sheer volume of wildly entertaining games with comebacks and twists and turns is incredible. There are fans of teams who would kill to have just one of the memories above. And here we are in a place where we have so many that you actually forget about some of them, like I did on the Pittsburgh game.
 

ArmyBoSoxFan

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Jul 17, 2005
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I loved the 2013 comeback against the Saints. Defense held them to a field goal and Brady did Brady things and drove them down the field and threw a TD to Kenbrell Thompkins. Was in a bar with all Saints fans which is why it stands out for me.
 

Preacher

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I loved the 2013 comeback against the Saints. Defense held them to a field goal and Brady did Brady things and drove them down the field and threw a TD to Kenbrell Thompkins. Was in a bar with all Saints fans which is why it stands out for me.
Thats kind of why I’m a big fan of the Patriots win in Champaign against the Bears. I was at the game and the vast majority of Bears fans excited during the review on the “interception” that was overturned. They didn’t announce in the stadium it was under review. Poor bastards were partying in the parking lot, celebrating the end of their losing streak. Guys were giving me shit walking home in Patriots gear. “Umm, the Bears lost.” This was 2002 so before smart phones.

View: https://youtu.be/u37bIQ6QfQk
 

GB5

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Aug 26, 2013
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I mean you could almost do this for every opponent which is insane:

Atlanta: Beating Vick in the dome, beating Matty Ice on Sunday night in Foxby in the SB rematch.

Arizona: Opening night with Garrapolo. Pats had a weird home loss to Az, after AZ tried to give us the game and Ghost missed at the gun.

Baltimore: Monday night madness in undefeated season

Buffalo: Brady's return after Injury. Ben Watson game.

Carolina: Wrapped up 2001 Regular season there, with big win.

Cincy: We are onto Cincinnati: Bledsoe lost opener there in 01, and Pats had a bad loss in a rain bowl in Cincy.

Cleveland: Miraculous game recovering onside kick in game Gronk got knocked out. Brady's comeback after suspension

Chicago: Brady jukes Urlacher. Unreal road comeback in a college stadium

Dallas: Tuna Bowl. Donte Stallworth long TD game in big game in Dallas.

Detroit: Thanksgiving comeback win

Denver: Safety Dance.

Green Bay: Big win in Lambeau: Favre quit in first quarter when it wasnt going his way.

Houston: Varsity jacket game.

Indy: Mcginest stop. Every time we beat Peyton

Jacksonville: They caught a Hail Mary at our one yard line at end of regulation, we went on to beat them in OT

KC: Brady beat Mahomes 43-40 on Sunday night at same time as Sox v Houston Game 2

Raiders: We beat them early in Foxboro in an ugly game, not much else comes to mind

Chargers: Nothing super memorable, but we seem to beat them every thre or four years. They skunked us early in foxby, which caused Brady to clap back in media at Schottenheimer to mind his own team after he gave postgame comments on Pats. Same day as Sox v Yanks game 162 Sox needed to get into playoffs.

Rams: Very undermanned Pats team went into St. Louis dome and Vianteri threw a TD pass in a big win.

Dolphins: Saturday afternoon win in week 15 in 2001, Overtime Mare. Overtime in foxby late in 02.

Vikings: Beat them on a sunday Halloween night. Also had the game where Thelien went after Belichick in game.

New Orleans: Kembrell, also in Superdome early, awesome Brady scramble and throw to Gronk for incredible TD.

Giants: last game of 07. Ghost from 50 after converting 4th and 10 on last drive on a late sunday in the meadowlands.

Jets; 45-3, butt fumble. I could do all day with this.

Philly: Big win in week two in Philly, in game where Rosie colvins season ended.

Pitt: Opening night something like 25 straight passes. Goal line overturn. Mouth cornerback game. Every win against them is sweet.

SF: Not much here: Brady won there in the rain.

Seattle: We rallied from 10 down in 4th in 08 against a horrible Hawks team, also against Deion branch who caught a TD against us.

Tampa: Ugly MNF win there a few years back.

Tennessee: 100-0 in the snow.

Washington: Old NFC grudge matches die hard. Beli put a huge number on Dan gibbs head in 07.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Thats kind of why I’m a big fan of the Patriots win in Champaign against the Bears. I was at the game and the vast majority of Bears fans excited during the review on the “interception” that was overturned. They didn’t announce in the stadium it was under review. Poor bastards were partying in the parking lot, celebrating the end of their losing streak. Guys were giving me shit walking home in Patriots gear. “Umm, the Bears lost.” This was 2002 so before smart phones.

View: https://youtu.be/u37bIQ6QfQk
Calling a QB sneak on 4th and 3 is a ballsy call.
 

alydar

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This was the same day as the David Ortiz ALCS grand slam against the Tigers, with the victory-arms cop in the background (and the CF’s legs!)

I loved the 2013 comeback against the Saints. Defense held them to a field goal and Brady did Brady things and drove them down the field and threw a TD to Kenbrell Thompkins. Was in a bar with all Saints fans which is why it stands out for me.
 

Beomoose

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I don't know about "best," but 2007 Week 9 "Battle of the Undefeateds" always brings a smile to my face. Manning love among the ESPN crowd was pretty out of control after his first ring, and to go into their house and take them down in a tough game was pretty sweet. Some great highlights from guys like Vrabel and Moss, Bill yelling "60 Minutes!" on the sideline, and oh yeah Brady being Brady.
 

BuellMiller

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Mar 25, 2015
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Not the prettiest game, and it doesn't really crack the top 20 or so already listed, but the only Patriots game I've been to live was the 2011 game against the R-words. Did feature some great highlights (Gronk scoring two TDs, including setting the record for TDs by a TE, as well as one of the most classic Gronk plays to set up that first one (see the Youtube link at 24:19 in), and Mayo sealing the game with a late INT with Washington driving to tie), but also some lowlights (especially the part about the team almost losing to Rex Grossman and Brady throwing an awful INT in the endzone when they could have pretty much put the game out of reach with a FG and then getting into the argument with BoB).
 

cournoyer

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It was so weird that, starting at the 8:45 mark of that video, Nantz and Romo went from saying it was a definite touchdown to immediately changing their tune completely and saying it was incomplete, and it didn't really correspond to watching the replay at the same time. I'm still 99% sure that right then something weird happened like someone from the NFL office called over to the CBS crew to let them know what was going on. It was a very bizarre broadcasting moment.
I remember even thinking in real time that it was strange how quickly they shifted gears. Romo bought in ("Ohhhh Jim look at the balllll idk!!") but Nantz sounded like he had a hard time believing it wasn't a catch. I would have been annoyed if I was a Steelers fan but I am not thankfully.
 

Hoya81

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Feb 3, 2010
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It’s forgotten because of the divisional playoff loss a few weeks later(IMHO a more frustrating loss than any of the SB losses) but the 45-3 shellacking of the Jets on MNF in Week 13, 2010. The Pats were in the midst of one of their more dominant stretches ever averaging 37 points a game in the 2nd half of ‘10 and just crushing everyone. There had been a run of articles that the Jets were ready to put the Pats out to pasture and they just showed up completely unprepared to play.
 

Van Everyman

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I would nominate the 2001 Jets game in the Meadowlands. It was a huge victory. The Jets were stacked and I don’t think many people took the Pats seriously at that point.

My personal favorite was 2003 @ Colts when McGinest stuffed James at the goal line to win. That one has to be up there too.
Has McGinest ever spoken about whether his injury, like, two plays earlier was real?
 

loshjott

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I mean you could almost do this for every opponent which is insane:

Atlanta: Beating Vick in the dome, beating Matty Ice on Sunday night in Foxby in the SB rematch.

Arizona: Opening night with Garrapolo. Pats had a weird home loss to Az, after AZ tried to give us the game and Ghost missed at the gun.

Baltimore: Monday night madness in undefeated season

Buffalo: Brady's return after Injury. Ben Watson game.

Carolina: Wrapped up 2001 Regular season there, with big win.

Cincy: We are onto Cincinnati: Bledsoe lost opener there in 01, and Pats had a bad loss in a rain bowl in Cincy.

Cleveland: Miraculous game recovering onside kick in game Gronk got knocked out. Brady's comeback after suspension

Chicago: Brady jukes Urlacher. Unreal road comeback in a college stadium

Dallas: Tuna Bowl. Donte Stallworth long TD game in big game in Dallas.

Detroit: Thanksgiving comeback win

Denver: Safety Dance.

Green Bay: Big win in Lambeau: Favre quit in first quarter when it wasnt going his way.

Houston: Varsity jacket game.

Indy: Mcginest stop. Every time we beat Peyton

Jacksonville: They caught a Hail Mary at our one yard line at end of regulation, we went on to beat them in OT

KC: Brady beat Mahomes 43-40 on Sunday night at same time as Sox v Houston Game 2

Raiders: We beat them early in Foxboro in an ugly game, not much else comes to mind

Chargers: Nothing super memorable, but we seem to beat them every thre or four years. They skunked us early in foxby, which caused Brady to clap back in media at Schottenheimer to mind his own team after he gave postgame comments on Pats. Same day as Sox v Yanks game 162 Sox needed to get into playoffs.

Rams: Very undermanned Pats team went into St. Louis dome and Vianteri threw a TD pass in a big win.

Dolphins: Saturday afternoon win in week 15 in 2001, Overtime Mare. Overtime in foxby late in 02.

Vikings: Beat them on a sunday Halloween night. Also had the game where Thelien went after Belichick in game.

New Orleans: Kembrell, also in Superdome early, awesome Brady scramble and throw to Gronk for incredible TD.

Giants: last game of 07. Ghost from 50 after converting 4th and 10 on last drive on a late sunday in the meadowlands.

Jets; 45-3, butt fumble. I could do all day with this.

Philly: Big win in week two in Philly, in game where Rosie colvins season ended.

Pitt: Opening night something like 25 straight passes. Goal line overturn. Mouth cornerback game. Every win against them is sweet.

SF: Not much here: Brady won there in the rain.

Seattle: We rallied from 10 down in 4th in 08 against a horrible Hawks team, also against Deion branch who caught a TD against us.

Tampa: Ugly MNF win there a few years back.

Tennessee: 100-0 in the snow.

Washington: Old NFC grudge matches die hard. Beli put a huge number on Dan gibbs head in 07.
This is a great post, thanks.
 

BaseballJones

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My first ever Foxboro game was the “we’re on to Cincinnati” game. Night game so we all had been tailgating all day. The crowd was insane. And the Pats came out and just destroyed the Bengals, launching them down the road to their first SB title since the 2004 season.

Maybe not the “best” regular season win, but it was very important for the second championship dynasty and made all the better for me because I was there in person.
 

Ralphwiggum

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I first thought of the 2013 Saints game as well. Troy Aikman was almost in tears calling that last drive he hated the Pats so much. Salty tears

Also the first time Brady beat the Saints

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_New_England_Patriots_season#Week_6:_vs._New_Orleans_Saints
What reason would Troy Aikman have to hate the Patriots? I've listened to him broadcast a bunch of Pats games and have never thought that. In fact if anything I think he's been incredibly complimentary to both Belichick and Brady over the years.

The persecution complex that this message board has regarding football announcers is completely out of control. Nantz, Romo, Buck, Aikman. They all hate the Pats!
 

Van Everyman

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My first ever Foxboro game was the “we’re on to Cincinnati” game. Night game so we all had been tailgating all day. The crowd was insane. And the Pats came out and just destroyed the Bengals, launching them down the road to their first SB title since the 2004 season.

Maybe not the “best” regular season win, but it was very important for the second championship dynasty and made all the better for me because I was there in person.
Gronk gave a killer sound bite after this game about Brady “being back” IIRC.
 

Huntington Avenue Grounds

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Defending AFC East champ, swept us last year, AFC confernece finalist (waiting on banner from Indy), led division all season, SB visions dancing in their heads, at their place, in a howling windstorm, with a game plan that stradles the line between bold/insane, yeah it's way up there.

Recency bias aside, that's a HELL of a win; anytime, anywhere.