That was then: Celebrating what was

54thMA

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Jamie Collins was the one covering the TE, so no impact.

One of the few plays ever that I am mad at Brady for was the pick by Von Miller that game.
Right; Collins got torched by the corpse of Owen Daniels.

Just like he did on the Lynch wheel route on the first play from scrimmage on the last Seahawks drive in the SB.
 

BuellMiller

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Jamie Collins was the one covering the TE, so no impact.

One of the few plays ever that I am mad at Brady for was the pick by Von Miller that game.
Maybe I have ptsd from that game (and maybe Brady did too) but I didn’t really remember it until you mentioned it.

My top 5 worst Brady INTs:
5. Pick against Washington in 2011 trying to throw to Underwood and then got into blowup with BOB. Bailed out by Mayo with a red zone pick of rex g. (Made the list partly because I was at the game)
4. Pick against Sea (Jeremy Lane) early in 49
3. Pick 6 against Falcons
2. Pick against Carolina in 38, let Carolina back into game.
1. Pick by champ Bailey (Ben Watson play)

honorable mention: the one against Balt in 2011AFCG when he tried to hit Slater deep right after Spikes had picked Flacco. (Maybe this is more on play call and lack of real deep threat)
And the pick in their next game trying to force it Gronk deep and got picked off by Chase Blackburn on a badly underthrown ball.
Also, the botched screen against the jets early in 2010 playoff disaster.
And one more, against Miami late in 2004 that cost them the game (didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things but more of a wtf was that play)

I guess I could have gone with a top 10 with one more. And probably doesn’t belong in the Celebrated what is thread regardless
 

tims4wins

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Maybe I have ptsd from that game (and maybe Brady did too) but I didn’t really remember it until you mentioned it.

My top 5 worst Brady INTs:
5. Pick against Washington in 2011 trying to throw to Underwood and then got into blowup with BOB. Bailed out by Mayo with a red zone pick of rex g. (Made the list partly because I was at the game)
4. Pick against Sea (Jeremy Lane) early in 49
3. Pick 6 against Falcons
2. Pick against Carolina in 38, let Carolina back into game.
1. Pick by champ Bailey (Ben Watson play)

honorable mention: the one against Balt in 2011AFCG when he tried to hit Slater deep right after Spikes had picked Flacco. (Maybe this is more on play call and lack of real deep threat)
And the pick in their next game trying to force it Gronk deep and got picked off by Chase Blackburn on a badly underthrown ball.
Also, the botched screen against the jets early in 2010 playoff disaster.
And one more, against Miami late in 2004 that cost them the game (didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things but more of a wtf was that play)

I guess I could have gone with a top 10 with one more. And probably doesn’t belong in the Celebrated what is thread regardless
I rate the Miller pick as #2 after the Carolina pick. Denver could not have won that game without it.


The only reason they aren’t reversed is AFCCG vs SB.
 

BigSoxFan

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Maybe I have ptsd from that game (and maybe Brady did too) but I didn’t really remember it until you mentioned it.

My top 5 worst Brady INTs:
5. Pick against Washington in 2011 trying to throw to Underwood and then got into blowup with BOB. Bailed out by Mayo with a red zone pick of rex g. (Made the list partly because I was at the game)
4. Pick against Sea (Jeremy Lane) early in 49
3. Pick 6 against Falcons
2. Pick against Carolina in 38, let Carolina back into game.
1. Pick by champ Bailey (Ben Watson play)

honorable mention: the one against Balt in 2011AFCG when he tried to hit Slater deep right after Spikes had picked Flacco. (Maybe this is more on play call and lack of real deep threat)
And the pick in their next game trying to force it Gronk deep and got picked off by Chase Blackburn on a badly underthrown ball.
Also, the botched screen against the jets early in 2010 playoff disaster.
And one more, against Miami late in 2004 that cost them the game (didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things but more of a wtf was that play)

I guess I could have gone with a top 10 with one more. And probably doesn’t belong in the Celebrated what is thread regardless
INT in end zone against KC was bad and changed the momentum of the game a bit. Defense was so good in the first half of that one, thankfully.
 

54thMA

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On the tying goal, one of the guys on the left just keeps munching chips like he's stress-eating, or oblivious. Was kinda like...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYqA6HoIgQY
He looks oblivious, must have been some real tasty chips.

As bad as the 1976 Raiders playoff loss, 1986 game 6 WS loss, 2003 ALCS game 7 loss and the too many men on the ice semi finals game 7 loss were, blowing a 4-1 lead in a game 7, blowing a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl and losing inches from the end zone on an INT in another Super Bowl would all be a bridge too far for me, not sure as a fan how you bounce back from any of those.

In comparison, the "Miami Miracle" and the loss to the Raiders this year are laughable.
 

Van Everyman

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BaseballJones

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Tom Brady has thrown 50+ passes in a playoff game 10 times. He's 6-4 in those games. With New England, he's 6-2 in such games.

Here are the other QBs who have thrown 50+ passes in an NFL playoff game:
Dan Marino is 0-2.
Ben Roethlisberger is 0-2.
Drew Brees is 0-2.
Jim Kelly is 0-3.
Steve Young is 0-1.
Bernie Kosar is 1-0.
Lamar Jackson is 0-1.
Eli Manning is 1-0.
Derek Carr is 0-1.
Andrew Luck is 0-1.
Geoff George is 0-2.
Neil O'Donnell is 0-1.
Randall Cunningham is 0-1.
Troy Aikman is 0-1.
Danny White is 0-1.
Vinny Testaverde is 0-1.
Deshaun Watson is 0-1.
Warren Moon is 0-2.
Philip Rivers is 0-1.
Andy Dalton is 0-1.
Matt Schaub is 0-1.
Donovan McNabb is 0-1.
Neil Lomax is 0-1.
Richard Todd is 0-1.
Alex Smith is 0-1.
Todd Collins is 0-1.
Drew Bledsoe is 0-1.
Dave Krieg is 0-1.
Jay Schroeder is 0-1.

So these other 29 QBs have played 36 playoff games where the QB has thrown 50+ passes. They're a combined 2-34 (.056). Meanwhile, Tom Brady is 6-4 (.600), and 6-2 (.750) with the Pats in these kinds of games.

System quarterback though. LOL.


For the record, here are Brady's 10 playoff games with 50+ passing attempts, in chronological order:

With New England
1-19-02 vs Oak (Div round): 32-52 (61.5%), 312 yds, 0 td, 0 int, Pats win 16-13 in OT
1-14-07 at SD (Div round): 27-51 (52.9%), 280 yds, 2 td, 3 int, Pats win 24-21
1-20-13 vs Bal (AFCCG): 29-54 (53.7%), 320 yds, 1 td, 2 int, Pats lose 28-13
1-10-15 vs Bal (Div round): 33-50 (66.0%), 367 yds, 3 td, 1 int, Pats win 35-31
2-1-15 vs Sea (Super Bowl): 37-50 (74.0%), 328 yds, 4 td, 2 int, Pats win 28-24
1-24-16 at Den (AFCCG): 27-56 (48.2%), 310 yds, 1 td, 2 int, Pats lose 20-18
2-5-17 vs Atl (Super Bowl): 43-62 (69.4%), 466 yds, 2 td, 1 int, Pats win 34-28 in OT
1-13-18 vs Ten (Div round): 35-53 (66.0%), 337 yds, 3 td, 0 int, Pats win 35-14

With Tampa Bay
1-23-22 vs LAR (NFCCG): 30-54 (55.6%), 329 yds, 1 td, 1 int, Bucs lose 30-27
1-16-23 vs Dal (WC round): 35-66 (53.0%), 351 yds, 2 td, 1 int, Bucs lose 31-14


Only 6 times in NFL history has a QB thrown 50+ passes in a Super Bowl.

Brady - SB LI - 62 attempts - WIN
Kelly - SB XXVI - 58 attempts - LOSS
McNabb - SB XXXIX - 51 attempts - LOSS
Brady - SB XLIX - 50 attempts - WIN
Kelly - SB XXVIII - 50 attempts - LOSS
Marino - SB XIX - 50 attempts - LOSS

So everyone else is 0-4 in Super Bowls when throwing 50+ passes. Brady, meanwhile, is 2-0.
 

InstaFace

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I can't believe SB 52 didn't cross that 50-throw threshold. It felt like we were throwing all game, and had to. But no, only 48 attempts for Brady (plus 1 from Amendola :confused: ).
 

BigSoxFan

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I just rewatched that. You guys thought that should be a completion? I mean, it 100% should have been intercepted by Sanders.
No, not what I'm saying. I was 120% confident before the play that we would convert since Troy Brown and Brady were typically so good at those situations. It was surprising to me when they didn't. Colts sadly defended it quite well. Not sure what the design of the play was but looks like they probably convert if Brown cuts outside. But if Sanders doesn't jump the route, it's probably a conversion as well.
 

Van Everyman

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Bad read by Brown or Brady. They weren't on the same page.
I mean, yeah, the open space was outside, not Brown curling in a little. But it may well have been a good call if Sanders were stuck to someone else instead of roaming there. Brown 100% had position.
 

Bunt4aTriple

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Popped up in Amazon photos "on this day". Was at a hotel pool party with an inflatable screen. It was a very pro-Ram (more accurately, anti-Pat) crowd. Why yes, that is a vintage Brady vs. Warner shirt my MIL dug out of a bin at Goodwill where she worked. And it goes lovely with Phil's plaid blazer.
60779
 

BigSoxFan

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I mean, yeah, the open space was outside, not Brown curling in a little. But it may well have been a good call if Sanders were stuck to someone else instead of roaming there. Brown 100% had position.
That's why I was surprised when I watched it. The space was there. Just a misconnection. D'oh.
 

Euclis20

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Tom Brady has thrown 50+ passes in a playoff game 10 times. He's 6-4 in those games. With New England, he's 6-2 in such games.

Here are the other QBs who have thrown 50+ passes in an NFL playoff game:
Dan Marino is 0-2.
Ben Roethlisberger is 0-2.
Drew Brees is 0-2.
Jim Kelly is 0-3.
Steve Young is 0-1.
Bernie Kosar is 1-0.
Lamar Jackson is 0-1.
Eli Manning is 1-0.
Derek Carr is 0-1.
Andrew Luck is 0-1.
Geoff George is 0-2.
Neil O'Donnell is 0-1.
Randall Cunningham is 0-1.
Troy Aikman is 0-1.
Danny White is 0-1.
Vinny Testaverde is 0-1.
Deshaun Watson is 0-1.
Warren Moon is 0-2.
Philip Rivers is 0-1.
Andy Dalton is 0-1.
Matt Schaub is 0-1.
Donovan McNabb is 0-1.
Neil Lomax is 0-1.
Richard Todd is 0-1.
Alex Smith is 0-1.
Todd Collins is 0-1.
Drew Bledsoe is 0-1.
Dave Krieg is 0-1.
Jay Schroeder is 0-1.

So these other 29 QBs have played 36 playoff games where the QB has thrown 50+ passes. They're a combined 2-34 (.056). Meanwhile, Tom Brady is 6-4 (.600), and 6-2 (.750) with the Pats in these kinds of games.

System quarterback though. LOL.


For the record, here are Brady's 10 playoff games with 50+ passing attempts, in chronological order:

With New England
1-19-02 vs Oak (Div round): 32-52 (61.5%), 312 yds, 0 td, 0 int, Pats win 16-13 in OT
1-14-07 at SD (Div round): 27-51 (52.9%), 280 yds, 2 td, 3 int, Pats win 24-21
1-20-13 vs Bal (AFCCG): 29-54 (53.7%), 320 yds, 1 td, 2 int, Pats lose 28-13
1-10-15 vs Bal (Div round): 33-50 (66.0%), 367 yds, 3 td, 1 int, Pats win 35-31
2-1-15 vs Sea (Super Bowl): 37-50 (74.0%), 328 yds, 4 td, 2 int, Pats win 28-24
1-24-16 at Den (AFCCG): 27-56 (48.2%), 310 yds, 1 td, 2 int, Pats lose 20-18
2-5-17 vs Atl (Super Bowl): 43-62 (69.4%), 466 yds, 2 td, 1 int, Pats win 34-28 in OT
1-13-18 vs Ten (Div round): 35-53 (66.0%), 337 yds, 3 td, 0 int, Pats win 35-14

With Tampa Bay
1-23-22 vs LAR (NFCCG): 30-54 (55.6%), 329 yds, 1 td, 1 int, Bucs lose 30-27
1-16-23 vs Dal (WC round): 35-66 (53.0%), 351 yds, 2 td, 1 int, Bucs lose 31-14


Only 6 times in NFL history has a QB thrown 50+ passes in a Super Bowl.

Brady - SB LI - 62 attempts - WIN
Kelly - SB XXVI - 58 attempts - LOSS
McNabb - SB XXXIX - 51 attempts - LOSS
Brady - SB XLIX - 50 attempts - WIN
Kelly - SB XXVIII - 50 attempts - LOSS
Marino - SB XIX - 50 attempts - LOSS

So everyone else is 0-4 in Super Bowls when throwing 50+ passes. Brady, meanwhile, is 2-0.
This is still super impressive, but a few years out of date. My first thought was Mahomes, who has 5 such games (and is a decent 3-2 in those games).
 

Jimbodandy

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Popped up in Amazon photos "on this day". Was at a hotel pool party with an inflatable screen. It was a very pro-Ram (more accurately, anti-Pat) crowd. Why yes, that is a vintage Brady vs. Warner shirt my MIL dug out of a bin at Goodwill where she worked. And it goes lovely with Phil's plaid blazer.
View attachment 60779
That's awesome.

My son still wears the 2001 AFCCG shirt that my wife bought me before the first Rams Super Bowl. I remember being pretty superstitious and horrified that she did that, but she didn't grow up in Boston watching so many choke jobs at the end. How would she know? I stuck it in the bottom of a dresser drawer and hoped for the best. After the win, it was free to come out. I'm glad that it fits him (because I am no longer a men's medium) and that he appreciates the history of it.

Nothing will ever match the catharsis of the team of Idiots, but man that Pats season was just magical.
 

BaseballJones

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This is still super impressive, but a few years out of date. My first thought was Mahomes, who has 5 such games (and is a decent 3-2 in those games).
No. Mahomes has never had 50+ passes in a single playoff game, never mind 5. He's thrown 49 passes once (in the 31-9 loss to Tampa in the Super Bowl). He's thrown 40+ passes in a playoff game 5 times. But never 50 or more.

Here's Mahomes' career playoff game log.
60781
 

tims4wins

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That's why I was surprised when I watched it. The space was there. Just a misconnection. D'oh.
Exactly. That loss still cuts deep because Peyton might never have won a title. Super interesting to think of the downstream effects. The 2007 Pats never happen if they win that game IMO.
 

Euclis20

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No. Mahomes has never had 50+ passes in a single playoff game, never mind 5. He's thrown 49 passes once (in the 31-9 loss to Tampa in the Super Bowl). He's thrown 40+ passes in a playoff game 5 times. But never 50 or more.
Sorry, I misread your post - I was looking at all games (regular season too), you're right.
 

InstaFace

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The Patriots changed the super bowl tradition of introducing every starting player on both teams individually. They were the first ones to choose to be introduced as a team, and the mental edge that gave them against the Rams - I choose to believe it mattered. Every team has done that ever since. I think that's cool, not least because it encapsulates a lot of what Belichick is about.

But actually it pissed the NFL off because it messed with the TV timetable, and they all got fined for it! A nice history of that moment, quotes from Bruschi etc:

https://www.audacy.com/weei/blogs/rob-bradford/how-the-patriots-changed-super-bowl-introductions-forever


View: https://youtu.be/fL-c2DoCGAw?t=186


I wonder if Marshall Faulk indeed remains the last player to ever be introduced by name at a Super Bowl.
 

Jimbodandy

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The Patriots changed the super bowl tradition of introducing every starting player on both teams individually. They were the first ones to choose to be introduced as a team, and the mental edge that gave them against the Rams - I choose to believe it mattered. Every team has done that ever since. I think that's cool, not least because it encapsulates a lot of what Belichick is about.

But actually it pissed the NFL off because it messed with the TV timetable, and they all got fined for it! A nice history of that moment, quotes from Bruschi etc:

https://www.audacy.com/weei/blogs/rob-bradford/how-the-patriots-changed-super-bowl-introductions-forever


View: https://youtu.be/fL-c2DoCGAw?t=186


I wonder if Marshall Faulk indeed remains the last player to ever be introduced by name at a Super Bowl.
Great callout.

I had the hair on my arm stand up that night when the announcer said that the Patriots had decided to be introduced "as a team".

Started thinking that we might win this thing right then.
 

tims4wins

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Great callout.

I had the hair on my arm stand up that night when the announcer said that the Patriots had decided to be introduced "as a team".

Started thinking that we might win this thing right then.
I remember having the discussion with my buddies leading up to the game on which unit they'd introduce. We thought it should be the punt block team, or maybe even the field goal block team, just to mess with everyone. The team introduction blew us away.

I also forgot about the "let's go Pats" chant right before they get introduced. Also goosebump-inducing.
 

mwonow

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This was the game that started the NE sports dynasty. I remember walking home afterwards, getting to the front door, saying "The New England Patriots are the Super Bowl Champions": out loud. I cracked up, couldn't go in the house in that shape, walked around the block...and it happened again at the front door.

I'm not sure how many times I had to walk around the block that night, but for me, that feeling was only surpassed the the (still chokes me up) reaction to "underhands to first."
 

8slim

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I’m watching the Tuck Rule 30 for 30, which somehow I’ve never seen before.

Tom sitting with Woodson watching the game saying how the snow was an advantage for him since it slowed the game down while his mind was working as quickly as usual. Fascinating. If he brings those kind of insights to the booth he may be better than I expect.

Also, complete forgot that Troy Brown fumbled the punt return just before the last drive. So many things had to go right.
 

tims4wins

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I’m watching the Tuck Rule 30 for 30, which somehow I’ve never seen before.

Tom sitting with Woodson watching the game saying how the snow was an advantage for him since it slowed the game down while his mind was working as quickly as usual. Fascinating. If he brings those kind of insights to the booth he may be better than I expect.

Also, complete forgot that Troy Brown fumbled the punt return just before the last drive. So many things had to go right.
Thank god for Larry Izzo. I think he recovered a muffed punt earlier in the game too.
One of the biggest plays of the game was stuffing the Raiders on 4th down late in the game.
I remember feeling so dejected after the first down play. They had Garner dead to rights for like a 5 yard loss and he turned it into a 7 yard gain. Seymour and Bryan Cox BEASTED on that 3rd down play.
 

8slim

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It’s really amazing how the Raiders contributed to their own demise.

Failed to pick up a 1st on a 3rd and 1 that would’ve sealed the game. And then punted from their 44 instead of going for it.

Let Brown return the punt for 27 yards, practically negating the punt strategy, and then failed to recover his fumble.

Gave up a 13 yard completion immediately after the tuck call, letting the Pats get in FG range .

Then in OT they gave up a 4th and 4 conversion from their 28.

Conservative coaching and poor execution is more of this story than the tuck.
 

BuellMiller

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Exactly. That loss still cuts deep because Peyton might never have won a title. Super interesting to think of the downstream effects. The 2007 Pats never happen if they win that game IMO.
For an example of the similar play in a similar situation that did work, was the game against the Colts in 2007 regular season, when Welker caught an out for a first down late in the game to clinch it. (And then got caught on a hot mic telling the Colts defender what he thought of his play).
Not sure Belichick doesn't go in on Welker and Moss in the offseason. Even if Troy Brown catches that first down to clinch it and the Patriots beat Rexy G and the Bears next game, Belichick still would have had to have understood that Reche Caldwell, #1 WR wasn't going to fly.
 

tims4wins

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For an example of the similar play in a similar situation that did work, was the game against the Colts in 2007 regular season, when Welker caught an out for a first down late in the game to clinch it. (And then got caught on a hot mic telling the Colts defender what he thought of his play).
Not sure Belichick doesn't go in on Welker and Moss in the offseason. Even if Troy Brown catches that first down to clinch it and the Patriots beat Rexy G and the Bears next game, Belichick still would have had to have understood that Reche Caldwell, #1 WR wasn't going to fly.
Right, but if the Pats win in 2006 I just see now way they go as hard as they did in 2007. Even if they had the same pieces.
 

BigSoxFan

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Right, but if the Pats win in 2006 I just see now way they go as hard as they did in 2007. Even if they had the same pieces.
I guess the counterpoint is that they really didn’t go that hard for Welker/Moss in terms of comp. They just got insane value in trades.
 

Van Everyman

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Having watched the game winning drive against the Rams in SB36 last night and now the Raiders playoff game that year, one of the things you see for the first time about Belichick teams is how guys who didn’t really contribute much in the regular season come up huge in these playoff moments.

Almost the entire last drive to set up the game-winning field goal against the Raiders is comprised of plays to Redmond and Wiggins. Brady is alternating back and forth to these guys play after play. The Raiders are flummoxed and every single one of the plays goes for positive yardage. This from guys who contributed less than 400 yards of total offense during the regular season.

Obviously none of this happens without Brady making the right reads. But to me, this is a Belichick thing through and through – and Brady doesn’t become TOM BRADY without guys who were coached up, biding their time for the big moment and who were just totally and completely ready when it arrived. It’s more than Do Your Job – or even Do Your Job Well. It’s Do Your Job Right Now Like Your Life Depends On It.

Redmond did it again in the last drive of SB36. And Malcolm Butler was the pinnacle obviously 13 years later. But the Snow Game is really one of the first times we see how central it was to their dynasty’s success.
 

johnmd20

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Having watched the game winning drive against the Rams in SB36 last night and now the Raiders playoff game that year, one of the things you see for the first time about Belichick teams is how guys who didn’t really contribute much in the regular season come up huge in these playoff moments.

Almost the entire last drive to set up the game-winning field goal against the Raiders is comprised of plays to Redmond and Wiggins. Brady is alternating back and forth to these guys play after play. The Raiders are flummoxed and every single one of the plays goes for positive yardage. This from guys who contributed less than 400 yards of total offense during the regular season.

Obviously none of this happens without Brady making the right reads. But to me, this is a Belichick thing through and through – and Brady doesn’t become TOM BRADY without guys who were coached up, biding their time for the big moment and who were just totally and completely ready when it arrived. It’s more than Do Your Job – or even Do Your Job Well. It’s Do Your Job Right Now Like Your Life Depends On It.

Redmond did it again in the last drive of SB36. And Malcolm Butler was the pinnacle obviously 13 years later. But the Snow Game is really one of the first times we see how central it was to their dynasty’s success.
That's the thing, is it Brady or Belichick?

Because in the Super Bowl against the Chiefs with Brady on Tampa, Cameron Brate and Ronald Jones both played pretty big roles. Jones especially had two pretty big 3rd down runs that went for first downs in the 1st quarter when the game was still a game. And Brate had a huge, and long, 1st down catch in the first half, too.
 

lexrageorge

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Right, but if the Pats win in 2006 I just see now way they go as hard as they did in 2007. Even if they had the same pieces.
I guess the counterpoint is that they really didn’t go that hard for Welker/Moss in terms of comp. They just got insane value in trades.
It's a safe bet that the receiver corps was going to be upgraded. IIRC, the traded for Welker early in free agency then signed Donte' Stallworth a few days later. Moss being available was a possibility but hardly a sure thing; Raiders didn't want to trade him initially, and the trade didn't happen until April. So the AFCCG loss may not have had much impact on the receivers that Belichick did acquire.

However, there is one player acquisition that may be doesn't happen if the Pats win that game. Belichick, by losing the AFCCG, was named coach of the AFC Pro Bowl team, where he got to coach Adalius Thomas, the most highly sought after defensive free agent. Thomas signed with the Pats the instant free agency opened.