Boston Sports Then and Now

Patriots Off Season Observations with Weei's Chris Price

Chris Price from WEEI, was nice enough to answer some of my Patriots off season questions.  We touch upon Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Patriots, Colts, and off season moves.

Be sure to check out Chris’ blog, It Is What It Is on weei.com.

BST& N: With the Colts’ loss in the Super Bowl do you feel the Patriots are the team of the decade?

Chris Price: I think the Patriots barely squeak past the Steelers and Colts for the honor. You can argue total wins and playoff spots and consecutive victories (and I’m sure Bill Polian will do that), and there might have been a question if the Colts had beaten the Saints–or if the Steelers had won it all this year. But I don’t see how you can’t give New England the honor now. We have short-term memory problems a lot of the time, and we tend to take whatever we just say and say, “That’s the best ever,” so I can understand why some fans in other cities may have forgotten about those New England teams in the earlier part of the decade, but those 2003 and 2004 teams were awesome, particularly on defense, just up and down the roster. Plus–and I don’t care who you are–it’s awful tough to argue with three titles in four years and a 16-0 regular season.

Chris Price: I hate to have one play or a single moment defines a players’ legacy, but I think that right now, Brady still has a narrow edge because the Colts loss. Again, if Manning had seized the moment and orchestrated a game-tying drive there and a game-winner in overtime, he would have had his signature moment, and you could make an argument that Manning’s resume (two SB titles, four MVPs) was the equal or better of Brady (three SB titles, one MVP). But it didn’t happen. Ultimately, Brady’s playoff winning percentage gives him the slight edge.

(On a related note, as Super Bowl XLII was winding down, I was writing on deadline and had to produce two game stories–one of the Patriots won and completed the perfect season, and one if they had lost. I still have the “Patriots win” game story on my laptop. I look at it from time to time and wonder about Brady’s legacy if the New England defense had stopped the Giants in the fourth quarter. I’d argue that four Super Bowl rings, at that age, he’s every bit the equal of Montana or Unitas.)

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After the 2001 Super Bowl Victory, the Patriots were Tom Brady's team.

In 2002, the Patriots were coming off their first championship in team history.

They were about to open a state of the art stadium in Foxboro.

New England traded franchise quarterback, Drew Bledsoe to the division rival Buffalo.

The team was now Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady’s.

Everything was looking up for a franchise that was a laughing stock in the early 90’s.

In their history the Patriots have had difficulties in stringing together winning seasons.

Would 2002 break this trend?

New England came out like gangbusters with three straight wins over the Steelers, Jets, and Chiefs by a combined score of 115-51. Unlike Patriots teams in the past, New England started fast, really fast out of the gate.

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The Patriots victory over the Rams began their decade of dominance.

Well the last decade ended like it began, with a lot of unanswered questions for the New England Patriots.

But damn the middle was great!

Let’s take a look back at professional football’s most recent dynasty.

There isn’t much debate on what NFL franchise was the most dominate over the first decade of this millennium.

Sorry Colts fans, your lone Super Bowl Title doesn’t cut the mustard.

Pittsburgh, you had a shot. However, missing the playoffs after your ’05 and ’08 titles cost you in the end.

Philly, if there was an award for losing the most NFC championship games you would have it locked up.

That leaves us with the obvious choice, the New England Patriots.

The team everyone hates and roots against.

The Patriots are despised for their success.

They are now the NY Yankees of football.

Let me throw some staggering numbers and stats at you.

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Who wins the the Great Quarterback Debate?

This is the debate that may never be answered.

The arguments of all arguments.

Who is the best quarterback in the NFL today?

Is it Tom Brady? Peyton Manning?

Some can even make an argument for “Big Ben” Roethlisberger. However, I think Roethlisberger needs about four more years to add to his body of work before he can be held in the same breath as Brady and Manning.

So how do we make the determination of who is the best all around quarterback? What variables will be used to measure both quarterbacks?

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Ray Rice and the Ravens flexed their muscles versus the Patriots in the AFC Wild Card Playoff round.

This game was over before it really ever began. Ray Rice gashed the Patriots for an 83 yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

And before you finished your first beer, New England was down 24-0.

The Patriots knew the Ravens were going to run and couldn’t do a thing to stop them. Ray Rice put on a pro bowl performance with 159 yards and two touchdowns. Willis McGahee chipped in with 62 yards and a td of his own.

Baltimore rushed for 234 yards, but they only passed for 34 yards!

Why pass if you can run at will? Harbaugh had a great game plan and his team executed it to perfection.

The New England defense couldn’t stop anyone and their offense couldn’t do anything.

Brady had his worst game of the season. He only had 154 yards on 42 attempts. Brady connected with Julian Edelman for two scores but also had three interceptions.  He was also strip sacked by Terrell Suggs and sacked two other times.  The Patriots’ quarterback had no time to get comfortable in the pocket and it showed.

The running game was non existent and the Patriots could only muster 196 total yards.

If you can’t stop the opposition and you turnover the ball, you don’t win. Simple as that. All these factors contributed to the Patriots first home playoff loss since 1978.

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Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots are left to wonder about life without Welker.

Not the way you want to end your regular season going into the playoffs.

This game was bizarre to say the least.

Bill Belichick plays Tom Brady who was being held together with band-aids and bubble gum.

He lets Faulk, Maroney (probably benched), Warren, Bodden, and Wilfork rest.

Welker, who has been throwing his body across the middle for 14 games, doesn’t get any R and R (military term for rest and relaxation) against Houston. Instead, he goes out there with reckless abandon and on a routine cut, blows out his knee.

The team’s offensive MVP is probably gone for the season. Welker’s tears on the bench pretty much ended all hopes of a miraculous comeback.

Greatest nightmare realized.

The Patriots lost one of their stars in a meaningless game.

It wasn’t a meaningless game for the Houston Texans, however.  They needed this game to keep their playoff hopes alive as well as assure themselves of their first winning season.

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