Running back. The often overlooked position in the Patriots' offense. But it shouldn't be. Antowain Smith. Corey Dillon. Kevin Faulk. They not only carried the ball during the Pats Super Bowl runs, they also carried a big part of the load.
So who carries the load this season? That will be THE most interesting question in training camp and during the preseason. Watching second-year guys Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley battle for the starting spot will almost be worth the full ticket price for the two preseason games. Almost.
STARTERS
I'm going with Ridley as the guy who will win the job. Of course that means it will probably be Vereen. Ridley showed break-away potential last year, leading the team in rushes over 20 yards. But he had a few fumbles near the end of the season and come playoff time was banished to the bench. He'll need to fix that. Vereen was injured early last season and didn't get back on the field till the end. The California grad is a Kevin Faulk third-down type back. That's a key role. Danny Woodhead's play dropped off after his outstanding first season with the Pats but he's still a playmaker. Veteran Joseph Addai, the former Colt, is a player I have high hopes for. But I thought that about Tory Holt a few years ago, and Fred Taylor, and Anthony Gonzalez. Those guys didn't work out so well.
BACK-UPS
It has long annoyed me that Belichick, the great student of the game that he is, has not had a fullback on his roster for most of the past decade. You have to have a fullback. It's about hard-nose football. Well, I've changed my mind about tight ends so maybe the coach is changing his mind about fullbacks because there are currently three on the roser. Tony Fiammetta, Eric Kettani, and Spencer Larson. Hopefully one of them will see a lot of action this year. Rookie Brandon Bolden is a dark horse to make the team.
It won't be easy for any of these guys to fill in for Bennie. He was a rock. He may not have had a lot of long rushes, but inside the ten he was almost a sure thing. And he never fumbled. Very tough to replace.
Showing posts with label Corey Dillon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Corey Dillon. Show all posts
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tangled up in blue
TALES FROM THE TAILGATE
Patriots 20, Colts 3 (1/16/'05): The greatest rivalry of the past 10 years -- maybe in the history of the NFL -- is about to have another chapter written. If it's anything like last year's chapter, well, there'll be a lot to talk about during the postgame tailgate Sunday night.
Peyton Manning and the Colts ride into town for another clash. Once again both teams are at the top of their divisions. Once again there is a lot at stake.
There have been so many great games between the two teams that it's hard to pick a favorite. Each has scored huge wins against the other. That's what makes it such an entertaining rivalry. The Colts have gotten the better of the Pats lately, but back in the winter of '04/'05 it was the Patriots who were dominant.
I've been lucky to see a lot of great games during the past 20 years. Well, mostly the last 10. Some of the best have been against the team in white and blue with the horseshoe on their helmet. (One of the all-time great sports uniforms, by the way). The best of those games came on a cold, snowy January afternoon. The Patriots were on the verge of becoming a dynasty and they took a big step towards that by playing -- and winning -- what turned out to be a classic old-school NFL playoff game.
The Colts came into Gillette in the playoffs for the second straight year. The Pats had knocked Indy out in the AFC title game 24-14 the previous January, torturing Manning with four interceptions in the snow. It was such a beating that the NFL decided to change the rules so that wide receivers (namely Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne) would have more freedom to roam untouched. More accurately, Colts GM Bill Polian decided to change the rules and the league went along with him. The Colts, thanks to those rules, had scored 49 points against Denver in the first round the week before with Manning passing for more than 450 yards. The story line coming into the rematch was how can the Patriots defense stop the unstoppable? Bill Belichick and his veteran players had the answer.
It was one of the more memorable pregame tailgates we've ever had -- despite the snow and 15 degree wind chill. The parking lot was a giant holiday party. Tents were up to protect from the elements but most people huddled outside talking about our favorite subject -- Pats vs. Colts. We had a large fire pit to keep warm, as well as a variety of cocktails to do the same. Since there were about a dozen of us at the tailgate, the pregame meal included everything from shrimp and sausage to lamb and steaks that Shep had marinated for days. My nephews Pete and Nate were planning on meeting up with us. They were bringing their cousin who lived in ... Indiana.
Nate called my cellphone to find out where we were in the lot. "We'll be there in a few minutes," he said. Then he paused, laughed a little, and asked "My cousin Andrew has got his Colts gear on. Is that gonna be a problem?"
"Not at all," I said. "As long as he's not an annoying jerk."
"No. He's cool,'' Nate answered.
I poured myself another drink and scanned the lot for Nate and Pete. I waved as I saw them coming up the aisle. Both were laughing. As I looked behind them I saw why. There was a guy walking a few steps back adorned in a Manning #18 jersey and a big blue horse's head made out of foam -- like the "We're #1" fingers. It was Andrew. Nate wasn't kidding. He sure had his Colts gear on. Everyone in Pats gear gave him a warm New England welcome as he walked by grill after grill.
Everyone watched as he walked up to our tailgate like a room full of guys turn to look as an attractive woman walks into a bar. Pete and Nate said hi to everyone and then introduced Andrew. We all started in on the "Your Colts are gonna get killed" talk. Good natured of course. Except for Billy (see: The Snow Bowl). He walked up to Andrew and greeted him in the way that only Billy can.
"Hey kid," he said. "If the Colts win tonight I'm going to set that foam horse on fire. Even if it's still on your head." Andrew kept that foam head on through the whole tailgate. The kid had guts.
The game -- expected by many to be a shootout or a Colts blowout -- was one that called for guts too. The unstoppable offense got the opening kickoff and went a quick three-and-out. That was the pattern for the game. Manning would throw, and throw, and throw (42 times, in fact), but the Pats D always had an answer. Bruschi. Harrison. Vrabel. Seymour. Johnson. Samuel. McGinest. Troy Brown. Troy Brown? Yup. Troy Brown.
Brown is known for catching the most passes in team history and for his skills as a kick returner, but on this bitter cold day he also played defensive back. As old school as you can get. The Patriots, with a wide receiver at D back, stopped the Indy offense time and time again. Manning would complete a pass only to watch his receiver get smashed and the ball roll on the icy turf. Late in the first quarter the Colts had reached midfield and faced a 3rd-and-9. Manning had Brandon Stokley open across the middle for what would have been a first down. Brown cut in front of Stokley and knocked the ball out of the way. Colts punt. Each possession, each play had the crowd urging the defense on. Each time the defense responded. Especially Bruschi.
Late in the first half, with the Pats leading 6-0, Manning hit running back Dominic Rhodes at the Pats 40-yard line. Bruschi arrived at the same time as the ball and as he tackled Rhodes he ripped the ball out of his hands. Indy turnover. Bruschi came to the sideline and raised the ball to the crowd. The place went nuts.The defense held the unstoppable offense to just three points for the entire game. It was the best performance by any Patriots defense and one of the best by any defense in the playoffs -- ever.
It was matched on offense by an equally impressive running game. The Pats added veteran Corey Dillon during the offseason and he was a key part in the ground attack improving from 27th in the league in '03 to 7th in '04. The combination of Clock Killin' Corey Dillon (1,600 yards that season) and the Pats veteran defense was the real unstoppable force that season. The Patriots dominated the time of possession and dominated their rivals from start to finish.
Rivalries are the essence of sports. The challenge of trying to defeat a great opponent. It makes for great entertainment and theater. As a Pats fan, I love the Colts. How can you hate them? They are a great team and Manning is one of the all-time greats. That comeback in the '06 AFC title game earned them much deserved respect. Indy is always tough to beat. That's what makes it so much fun when the Pats beat them.
On that January day in '05, the fervent 69,000 rose to their feet on the Colts' first offensive play of the game and never sat down. Whether on offense or defense, first down or third, everyone stood and roared. Gillette was a great homefield advantage that day. Hopefully it will be again this Sunday. I'm ready to stand for three hours.
Patriots 20, Colts 3 (1/16/'05): The greatest rivalry of the past 10 years -- maybe in the history of the NFL -- is about to have another chapter written. If it's anything like last year's chapter, well, there'll be a lot to talk about during the postgame tailgate Sunday night.
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DILLON: Killin' field.
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There have been so many great games between the two teams that it's hard to pick a favorite. Each has scored huge wins against the other. That's what makes it such an entertaining rivalry. The Colts have gotten the better of the Pats lately, but back in the winter of '04/'05 it was the Patriots who were dominant.
I've been lucky to see a lot of great games during the past 20 years. Well, mostly the last 10. Some of the best have been against the team in white and blue with the horseshoe on their helmet. (One of the all-time great sports uniforms, by the way). The best of those games came on a cold, snowy January afternoon. The Patriots were on the verge of becoming a dynasty and they took a big step towards that by playing -- and winning -- what turned out to be a classic old-school NFL playoff game.
The Colts came into Gillette in the playoffs for the second straight year. The Pats had knocked Indy out in the AFC title game 24-14 the previous January, torturing Manning with four interceptions in the snow. It was such a beating that the NFL decided to change the rules so that wide receivers (namely Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne) would have more freedom to roam untouched. More accurately, Colts GM Bill Polian decided to change the rules and the league went along with him. The Colts, thanks to those rules, had scored 49 points against Denver in the first round the week before with Manning passing for more than 450 yards. The story line coming into the rematch was how can the Patriots defense stop the unstoppable? Bill Belichick and his veteran players had the answer.
It was one of the more memorable pregame tailgates we've ever had -- despite the snow and 15 degree wind chill. The parking lot was a giant holiday party. Tents were up to protect from the elements but most people huddled outside talking about our favorite subject -- Pats vs. Colts. We had a large fire pit to keep warm, as well as a variety of cocktails to do the same. Since there were about a dozen of us at the tailgate, the pregame meal included everything from shrimp and sausage to lamb and steaks that Shep had marinated for days. My nephews Pete and Nate were planning on meeting up with us. They were bringing their cousin who lived in ... Indiana.
Nate called my cellphone to find out where we were in the lot. "We'll be there in a few minutes," he said. Then he paused, laughed a little, and asked "My cousin Andrew has got his Colts gear on. Is that gonna be a problem?"
"Not at all," I said. "As long as he's not an annoying jerk."
"No. He's cool,'' Nate answered.
I poured myself another drink and scanned the lot for Nate and Pete. I waved as I saw them coming up the aisle. Both were laughing. As I looked behind them I saw why. There was a guy walking a few steps back adorned in a Manning #18 jersey and a big blue horse's head made out of foam -- like the "We're #1" fingers. It was Andrew. Nate wasn't kidding. He sure had his Colts gear on. Everyone in Pats gear gave him a warm New England welcome as he walked by grill after grill.
Everyone watched as he walked up to our tailgate like a room full of guys turn to look as an attractive woman walks into a bar. Pete and Nate said hi to everyone and then introduced Andrew. We all started in on the "Your Colts are gonna get killed" talk. Good natured of course. Except for Billy (see: The Snow Bowl). He walked up to Andrew and greeted him in the way that only Billy can.
"Hey kid," he said. "If the Colts win tonight I'm going to set that foam horse on fire. Even if it's still on your head." Andrew kept that foam head on through the whole tailgate. The kid had guts.
The game -- expected by many to be a shootout or a Colts blowout -- was one that called for guts too. The unstoppable offense got the opening kickoff and went a quick three-and-out. That was the pattern for the game. Manning would throw, and throw, and throw (42 times, in fact), but the Pats D always had an answer. Bruschi. Harrison. Vrabel. Seymour. Johnson. Samuel. McGinest. Troy Brown. Troy Brown? Yup. Troy Brown.
Brown is known for catching the most passes in team history and for his skills as a kick returner, but on this bitter cold day he also played defensive back. As old school as you can get. The Patriots, with a wide receiver at D back, stopped the Indy offense time and time again. Manning would complete a pass only to watch his receiver get smashed and the ball roll on the icy turf. Late in the first quarter the Colts had reached midfield and faced a 3rd-and-9. Manning had Brandon Stokley open across the middle for what would have been a first down. Brown cut in front of Stokley and knocked the ball out of the way. Colts punt. Each possession, each play had the crowd urging the defense on. Each time the defense responded. Especially Bruschi.
Late in the first half, with the Pats leading 6-0, Manning hit running back Dominic Rhodes at the Pats 40-yard line. Bruschi arrived at the same time as the ball and as he tackled Rhodes he ripped the ball out of his hands. Indy turnover. Bruschi came to the sideline and raised the ball to the crowd. The place went nuts.The defense held the unstoppable offense to just three points for the entire game. It was the best performance by any Patriots defense and one of the best by any defense in the playoffs -- ever.
It was matched on offense by an equally impressive running game. The Pats added veteran Corey Dillon during the offseason and he was a key part in the ground attack improving from 27th in the league in '03 to 7th in '04. The combination of Clock Killin' Corey Dillon (1,600 yards that season) and the Pats veteran defense was the real unstoppable force that season. The Patriots dominated the time of possession and dominated their rivals from start to finish.
Rivalries are the essence of sports. The challenge of trying to defeat a great opponent. It makes for great entertainment and theater. As a Pats fan, I love the Colts. How can you hate them? They are a great team and Manning is one of the all-time greats. That comeback in the '06 AFC title game earned them much deserved respect. Indy is always tough to beat. That's what makes it so much fun when the Pats beat them.
On that January day in '05, the fervent 69,000 rose to their feet on the Colts' first offensive play of the game and never sat down. Whether on offense or defense, first down or third, everyone stood and roared. Gillette was a great homefield advantage that day. Hopefully it will be again this Sunday. I'm ready to stand for three hours.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Dynasty. Starring ...
It seems just yesterday I was working at my old newspaper on New Year's Eve 1999. Y2K! The millennium! The world is going to end! Hoard water and Yodels! Well the decade began and we all survived. As it comes to an end it won't go down as a favorite decade of many -- unless of course you are a Patriots fan. For us, it was a most amazing decade indeed. Looking back at the Super Bowls, great playoff wins (and tough losses), and seasons of 14-2, 14-2, and 16-0, it's easy to select the most important player in this dynastic decade (Mr. Bundchen). But who would make up the rest of the list if you were naming the top 15 (10 wasn't quite enough) of the '00s? I'm glad you asked. (Note: Nine of the 15 were Patriots' picks. That's great drafting).
15. Ted Johnson: I'm not sure any Patriot sacrificed his body more than inside linebacker Ted Johnson did for the team this decade. The guy's a football player. Ohio State. No neck. He's the Jason Bourne of LBs. You can knock him unconscious and he will still get up, find you, and make the tackle. A draft pick of Bill Parcells, Johnson was one of the guys who helped build the dynasty in the mid-90s and then got the satisfaction of still being there when all the work paid off.
14. Deion Branch: The MVP of Super Bowl XXXVIII. Branch became the deep weapon that Brady had been missing and was the piece that turned the Pats offense from solid to dangerous. His long TD catch early in the '04 AFC title game in Pittsburgh set the tone for the romp. His catch to set up the winning kick in the Carolina Super Bowl was one of the toughest -- and most underrated -- catches I've ever seen.
13. Antowain Smith: The man was a bull with a hell of a kick. I loved Smith when he played with the Bills but injuries made him a big question mark when the Pats picked him up for the 2001 season. He answered all the questions. He ran for almost 1,200 yards and scored 12 TDs in his first season, leading the Pats on their improbable run to the playoffs. He was even bigger in those playoffs, returning to his hometown of New Orleans and playing a key role in the Pats erasing the nightmares of their previous two bayou Super Bowl trips.
12. Ted Washington: As important as Smith was in the Pats building a running game, the acquisition of the house that is Ted Washington was even more important when it came to stopping the run. The Pats had a huge hole in the middle of the D just a week before the season started in '01 and the late August trade for Washington filled that hole and then some. The Pats ranked 4th in the league against the run. Big Ted was the foundation -- literally -- of that defense.
11. Wes Welker: The only guy on this list without a Super Bowl ring. Hopefully he gets one soon but he doesn't need one. He's already one of the toughest, grittiest, smartest Patriots I've ever seen. He's averaging 100 catches a season. Simply put: How can you not love watching him play? How many clutch third-down catches has he made? Too many to count.
10. Adam Vinatieri: Is there another dynasty that has its kicker in the top 10? The greatest clutch kicker in the history of the game. Which kick do you want? The first Super Bowl winner ("It's gooooood! It's gooooooood!). The Snow Bowl kick. The Snow Bowl winner. The winner against the Titans in 6 degree temps. And those are just in the playoffs. I've seen so many great seasons by teams end on a "wide right." Not with Vinatieri. We didn't call him "Money" for nothing.
9. Kevin Faulk: Yes, Kevin Faulk. Most underrated player in the entire league these last ten years. Need a big catch? Go to Faulk. Need a big block? Line him up just in front of Brady. Need a big kick return? Put #33 back there. He's one of those guys that every dynasty has. The role player who plays every role to near perfection.
8. Corey Dillon: I can still remember the summer day over my parent's house when my brother Richie called from North Carolina. "ESPN's reporting that we traded a second-round pick for Corey Dillon.. Corey Dillon! We're going back to the Super Bowl!" And he was right. The Bengals sent away their disgruntled star and he had one more Hall of Fame season left in him to lead the '04 Pats to the title. He capped it with a monster game in the Pats most solid playoff victory of the decade -- the 20-3 punishing of Indy.
7. Ty Law: Kurt Warner drops back to pass. He throws it right just as he gets hit. The ball ... is intercepted! Ty Law! He takes it all the way for a touchdown! Patriots lead! That pick-six in the first Super Bowl made the team believe they really could pull off the upset. Law, who early in his career spent most of his time drawing yellow flags, evolved into an All-Pro shutdown corner. His three-pick game against Manning in the '03 AFC title game is one of the greatest performances by a cornerback ever.
6. Mike Vrabel: The cast-off from Pittsburgh who fit the Bill Belichick/Romeo Crennel defense perfectly. Vrabel, another OSU linebacker, is the man who hit Warner in the face (was that a penalty?) that forced the errant pass that was picked off by Law. He also forced the fumble in the Carolina Super Bowl that set off the scoring binge. Vrabel was always there to make a play. On both sides of the ball. He caught five passes while a Patriot. All for touchdowns.
5. Rodney Harrison: I can still hear the sound of Rodney coming on a blitz and smashing the quarterback to the ground with one of the hardest hits I've seen. And that was in a preseason game before the '07 season. You hear a lot these days about how all players take plays off. Not Rodney. He played every play as if the Super Bowl was on the line. Voted the dirtiest player by his peers year after year, that's what happens when you take pleasure in hitting as hard as you can. A Hall of Fame safety for sure.
4. Tedy Bruschi: Was there ever a better match of player and coach than Bruschi and Belichick? Watching them on the sideline it was like having two defensive coaches. During the years Romeo was there ... well, the three of them were pretty tough to outsmart. Belichick called him "the perfect player" at Bruschi's retirement press conference. That says it all.
3. Troy Brown: Who has the most catches in Patriots history? Troy Brown. Bingo! Who returned a punt and set up a blocked field goal return to beat the Steelers in their first AFC title clash? Troy Brown. Bingo! Who made the biggest catch in the drive to set up the winning kick in New Orleans? Troy Brown. Bingo! So many clutch catches. So many game-changing special teams plays. He even played nickel back when the Pats were decimated on defense. Whatever Belichick asked him to do he did. Troy Brown is the Patriots. Bingo!
2. Willie McGinnest: OK. I'm biased. Willie was my favorite player before he even played a down for the Patriots. I loved to watch the Pac 10 back in the '80s and early '90s and McGinnest was one of the best linebackers USC ever had. And that's saying something. When the Pats took him with the fourth pick in the '94 draft I was thrilled. Unfortunately Willie was plagued by a groin injury that slowed him for several years. But that all changed when this decade started. Willie's big plays stack up with anyone's on this list but it was the way he made his big plays that made him the leader of the dynasty. He didn't just sack you. He took you down with a fist in your face or a knee in your back. He was an intimidating playmaker. He was the man.
1. Tom Brady: One of the greatest stories in sports of the past 100 years. That's right. 100. A skinny sixth-round pick walked onto the field with his hands in his pockets on that September afternoon in 2001 and proceeded to lead the team to three Super Bowls in four years. I know he's got Gisele now, and Bridget's baby, and his commercials aren't funny like Manning's. And he wears those stupid TB hats. But he still has a burning desire to win after all he has accomplished. If he should be able to win another title before he hangs it up sometime in the next decade he goes down as arguably the best to ever play in the league. He's already the best to ever play in a Patriots uniform.
Almost made the cut: 16. Randy Moss. 17. Lawyer Milloy. 18. Vince Wilfork. 19. Richard Seymour. 20. Matt Light. 21. Daniel Graham. 22. Dan Koppen. 23. Ty Warren. 24. Asante Samuel. 25. David Patten. Did I miss anyone?
15. Ted Johnson: I'm not sure any Patriot sacrificed his body more than inside linebacker Ted Johnson did for the team this decade. The guy's a football player. Ohio State. No neck. He's the Jason Bourne of LBs. You can knock him unconscious and he will still get up, find you, and make the tackle. A draft pick of Bill Parcells, Johnson was one of the guys who helped build the dynasty in the mid-90s and then got the satisfaction of still being there when all the work paid off.14. Deion Branch: The MVP of Super Bowl XXXVIII. Branch became the deep weapon that Brady had been missing and was the piece that turned the Pats offense from solid to dangerous. His long TD catch early in the '04 AFC title game in Pittsburgh set the tone for the romp. His catch to set up the winning kick in the Carolina Super Bowl was one of the toughest -- and most underrated -- catches I've ever seen.
13. Antowain Smith: The man was a bull with a hell of a kick. I loved Smith when he played with the Bills but injuries made him a big question mark when the Pats picked him up for the 2001 season. He answered all the questions. He ran for almost 1,200 yards and scored 12 TDs in his first season, leading the Pats on their improbable run to the playoffs. He was even bigger in those playoffs, returning to his hometown of New Orleans and playing a key role in the Pats erasing the nightmares of their previous two bayou Super Bowl trips.12. Ted Washington: As important as Smith was in the Pats building a running game, the acquisition of the house that is Ted Washington was even more important when it came to stopping the run. The Pats had a huge hole in the middle of the D just a week before the season started in '01 and the late August trade for Washington filled that hole and then some. The Pats ranked 4th in the league against the run. Big Ted was the foundation -- literally -- of that defense.
11. Wes Welker: The only guy on this list without a Super Bowl ring. Hopefully he gets one soon but he doesn't need one. He's already one of the toughest, grittiest, smartest Patriots I've ever seen. He's averaging 100 catches a season. Simply put: How can you not love watching him play? How many clutch third-down catches has he made? Too many to count.
10. Adam Vinatieri: Is there another dynasty that has its kicker in the top 10? The greatest clutch kicker in the history of the game. Which kick do you want? The first Super Bowl winner ("It's gooooood! It's gooooooood!). The Snow Bowl kick. The Snow Bowl winner. The winner against the Titans in 6 degree temps. And those are just in the playoffs. I've seen so many great seasons by teams end on a "wide right." Not with Vinatieri. We didn't call him "Money" for nothing.9. Kevin Faulk: Yes, Kevin Faulk. Most underrated player in the entire league these last ten years. Need a big catch? Go to Faulk. Need a big block? Line him up just in front of Brady. Need a big kick return? Put #33 back there. He's one of those guys that every dynasty has. The role player who plays every role to near perfection.
8. Corey Dillon: I can still remember the summer day over my parent's house when my brother Richie called from North Carolina. "ESPN's reporting that we traded a second-round pick for Corey Dillon.. Corey Dillon! We're going back to the Super Bowl!" And he was right. The Bengals sent away their disgruntled star and he had one more Hall of Fame season left in him to lead the '04 Pats to the title. He capped it with a monster game in the Pats most solid playoff victory of the decade -- the 20-3 punishing of Indy.7. Ty Law: Kurt Warner drops back to pass. He throws it right just as he gets hit. The ball ... is intercepted! Ty Law! He takes it all the way for a touchdown! Patriots lead! That pick-six in the first Super Bowl made the team believe they really could pull off the upset. Law, who early in his career spent most of his time drawing yellow flags, evolved into an All-Pro shutdown corner. His three-pick game against Manning in the '03 AFC title game is one of the greatest performances by a cornerback ever.
6. Mike Vrabel: The cast-off from Pittsburgh who fit the Bill Belichick/Romeo Crennel defense perfectly. Vrabel, another OSU linebacker, is the man who hit Warner in the face (was that a penalty?) that forced the errant pass that was picked off by Law. He also forced the fumble in the Carolina Super Bowl that set off the scoring binge. Vrabel was always there to make a play. On both sides of the ball. He caught five passes while a Patriot. All for touchdowns.5. Rodney Harrison: I can still hear the sound of Rodney coming on a blitz and smashing the quarterback to the ground with one of the hardest hits I've seen. And that was in a preseason game before the '07 season. You hear a lot these days about how all players take plays off. Not Rodney. He played every play as if the Super Bowl was on the line. Voted the dirtiest player by his peers year after year, that's what happens when you take pleasure in hitting as hard as you can. A Hall of Fame safety for sure.
4. Tedy Bruschi: Was there ever a better match of player and coach than Bruschi and Belichick? Watching them on the sideline it was like having two defensive coaches. During the years Romeo was there ... well, the three of them were pretty tough to outsmart. Belichick called him "the perfect player" at Bruschi's retirement press conference. That says it all.
3. Troy Brown: Who has the most catches in Patriots history? Troy Brown. Bingo! Who returned a punt and set up a blocked field goal return to beat the Steelers in their first AFC title clash? Troy Brown. Bingo! Who made the biggest catch in the drive to set up the winning kick in New Orleans? Troy Brown. Bingo! So many clutch catches. So many game-changing special teams plays. He even played nickel back when the Pats were decimated on defense. Whatever Belichick asked him to do he did. Troy Brown is the Patriots. Bingo!2. Willie McGinnest: OK. I'm biased. Willie was my favorite player before he even played a down for the Patriots. I loved to watch the Pac 10 back in the '80s and early '90s and McGinnest was one of the best linebackers USC ever had. And that's saying something. When the Pats took him with the fourth pick in the '94 draft I was thrilled. Unfortunately Willie was plagued by a groin injury that slowed him for several years. But that all changed when this decade started. Willie's big plays stack up with anyone's on this list but it was the way he made his big plays that made him the leader of the dynasty. He didn't just sack you. He took you down with a fist in your face or a knee in your back. He was an intimidating playmaker. He was the man.
1. Tom Brady: One of the greatest stories in sports of the past 100 years. That's right. 100. A skinny sixth-round pick walked onto the field with his hands in his pockets on that September afternoon in 2001 and proceeded to lead the team to three Super Bowls in four years. I know he's got Gisele now, and Bridget's baby, and his commercials aren't funny like Manning's. And he wears those stupid TB hats. But he still has a burning desire to win after all he has accomplished. If he should be able to win another title before he hangs it up sometime in the next decade he goes down as arguably the best to ever play in the league. He's already the best to ever play in a Patriots uniform.
Almost made the cut: 16. Randy Moss. 17. Lawyer Milloy. 18. Vince Wilfork. 19. Richard Seymour. 20. Matt Light. 21. Daniel Graham. 22. Dan Koppen. 23. Ty Warren. 24. Asante Samuel. 25. David Patten. Did I miss anyone?
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