Tuck-rule Game/Bledsoe what-if

[74_75_78_79_]

This, today, being the 13th anniversary of the infamous 'Tuck-rule Game', I ask what you all think happens if Pats end up losing to Oakland? No, not if the dynasty takes place or not, but if Bledsoe stays on the following season to get back the starting spot or at least compete with Brady in the off-season to get it back?

[Rupert Patrick]

The Pats went into the 2001 season slated to be among the worst teams in the league; I predicted them to finish in last place in the AFC East, and I think most prognosticators had them in fourth or fifth place. After the injury to Bledsoe, the addition of Brady to the Pats offense definitely shook things up and it was clear at that time that the Pats had turned another chapter in the history of the franchise as they came out of nowhere to make the AFC Championship game. I think Belichick was looking at a hot rookie (basically a rookie, as he only threw a half dozen passes in the 2000 season) on one hand, and a high priced QB who suddenly had serious health issues on the other hand. He knew the team would have to eat a big chunk of Bledsoe's big contract that he signed before the 2001 season in order to cut him loose, but it would save the team a lot of money in the long run, which would allow him to get some more veteran talent in the free market, at least until Brady started getting the big paychecks himself. As it turned out, Bledsoe's stock had risen when he came in off the bench in the AFC Championship and held on to win the game, which meant he would find a team to play for in 2002. Even if the Pats lost the Tuck Rule game, the job belong to Brady.

In short, this was essentially the same choice George Seifert had to make when Montana was injured and Young had demonstrated the job now belonged to him. It's hard to get rid of the longtime leader of your team, but sometimes you have to make a difficult choice.

[7DnBrnc53]

Even if the Pats lost the Tuck Rule game, the job belong to Brady.

I agree. Belichick is more of a system guy than a superstar guy. When he was with the Giants, he couldn't stand how Parcells had one set of rules for LT, and one for everyone else. Brady fit his team concept better than Bledsoe.

As far as the dynasty still taking place or not is concerned, that is a trick question because, in my opinion, they never had a dynasty. You should have to win at least four SB's to be considered a dynasty.

If they don't beat the Raiders, though, I don't see them winning three in four years. That win started the perfect storm.

Another "what if" would have to do with the San Diego game early in the season. Brady was going into his third start. The Pats were 1-3, but they were coming off of a 30-10 shellacking in Miami. Against the Chargers, they were down 10 late in the fourth when they scored 10 unanswered to tie, got a pass interference call, and kicked the game-winning FG.

If SD doesn't get stuffed on three straight running plays late in the fourth quarter, and is able to run out the clock with LT, the Pats start 1-4, and I don't know if they have the confidence to pull out the close ones. They may end up 8-8 or 7-9 instead of 11-5, and there is no way that they can just toss Bledsoe out in that instance.

[BD Sullivan]

I've mentioned before that the Tuck Rule game is comparable to the '65 playoff game between the Packers and Colts. Without a terrible call on Chandler's FG that tied it up late in the game, do the Packers go on to win in either '66 and/or '67?

[rhickok1109]

I don't think it would have made much difference. Belichick and Charlie Weis liked Brady much better than Bledsoe for a couple of reasons: Bledsoe had a very slow release and was very poor at finding a receiver if his primary target was covered. Brady is far superior in both of those areas. I think Brady would have replaced Bledsoe at the beginning of 2002 season regardless of what happened in 2001. Bledsoe's injury simply gave Belichick a good excuse to make the move earlier.

[7DnBrnc53]

I don't think it would have made much difference. Belichick and Charlie Weis liked Brady much better than Bledsoe for a couple of reasons: Bledsoe had a very slow release and was very poor at finding a receiver if his primary target was covered. Brady is far superior in both of those areas. I think Brady would have replaced Bledsoe at the beginning of 2002 season regardless of what happened in 2001. Bledsoe's injury simply gave Belichick a good excuse to make the move earlier.

Here is an interesting entry that I found from the 2001 season:

http://espn.go.com/page2/s/halloran/011128.html

Also, you make some good points about Bledsoe, but I also agree with the author that Brady wasn't really all that impressive his first season (or any of their SB winning seasons, for that matter). Then, they win their third SB, and all of a sudden, I am hearing this "Brady is a GOAT candidate" talk.

I don't think that it was warranted. Tom has some good qualities, but he has been the beneficiary of Belichick's system the last 14 years.

[rhickok1109]

I don't think it would have made much difference. Belichick and Charlie Weis liked Brady much better than Bledsoe for a couple of reasons: Bledsoe had a very slow release and was very poor at finding a receiver if his primary target was covered. Brady is far superior in both of those areas. I think Brady would have replaced Bledsoe at the beginning of 2002 season regardless of what happened in 2001. Bledsoe's injury simply gave Belichick a good excuse to make the move earlier.

Here is an interesting entry that I found from the 2001 season:

http://espn.go.com/page2/s/halloran/011128.html

Also, you make some good points about Bledsoe, but I also agree with the author that Brady wasn't really all that impressive his first season (or any of their SB winning seasons, for that matter). Then, they win their third SB, and all of a sudden, I am hearing this "Brady is a GOAT candidate" talk.

I don't think that it was warranted. Tom has some good qualities, but he has been the beneficiary of Belichick's system the last 14 years.

What system do you mean? Brady originally ran Charlie Weis's offense, which was a derivative of the WCO. Then the Patriots acquired Randy Moss and Brady threw 50 TD passes in a vertical passing offense. Since Moss, they've run an offense very similar to what Tom Moore coached at Indianapolis with Manning, emphasizing a lot of four and five-receiver sets and extensive use of slot receivers. He's consistently been well above average in every passing category and he's made seamless transitions from one type of offense to another.

I'm not a Patriots' fan, but I live in New England and I've seen just about every game Brady has ever played. I've been impressed with his very consistent level of play in all three offenses, against all kinds of opposition, and in the face of adversity. I don't think he's ever been the best quarterback in the NFL, but he's consistently been among the top five and most often among the top three.

[JohnH19]

I don't think it would have made much difference. Belichick and Charlie Weis liked Brady much better than Bledsoe for a couple of reasons: Bledsoe had a very slow release and was very poor at finding a receiver if his primary target was covered. Brady is far superior in both of those areas. I think Brady would have replaced Bledsoe at the beginning of 2002 season regardless of what happened in 2001. Bledsoe's injury simply gave Belichick a good excuse to make the move earlier.

Here is an interesting entry that I found from the 2001 season:

http://espn.go.com/page2/s/halloran/011128.html

Also, you make some good points about Bledsoe, but I also agree with the author that Brady wasn't really all that impressive his first season (or any of their SB winning seasons, for that matter). Then, they win their third SB, and all of a sudden, I am hearing this "Brady is a GOAT candidate" talk.

I don't think that it was warranted. Tom has some good qualities, but he has been the beneficiary of Belichick's system the last 14 years.

Please explain Belichick's "system" to me. You must have a really good handle on it since you feel so strongly that Brady is only a QB with "some good qualities". That's somewhat similar to how you feel about Joe Montana, isn't it?

[7DnBrnc53]

I don't think it would have made much difference. Belichick and Charlie Weis liked Brady much better than Bledsoe for a couple of reasons: Bledsoe had a very slow release and was very poor at finding a receiver if his primary target was covered. Brady is far superior in both of those areas. I think Brady would have replaced Bledsoe at the beginning of 2002 season regardless of what happened in 2001. Bledsoe's injury simply gave Belichick a good excuse to make the move earlier.

Here is an interesting entry that I found from the 2001 season:

http://espn.go.com/page2/s/halloran/011128.html

Also, you make some good points about Bledsoe, but I also agree with the author that Brady wasn't really all that impressive his first season (or any of their SB winning seasons, for that matter). Then, they win their third SB, and all of a sudden, I am hearing this "Brady is a GOAT candidate" talk.

I don't think that it was warranted. Tom has some good qualities, but he has been the beneficiary of Belichick's system the last 14 years.

What system do you mean? Brady originally ran Charlie Weis's offense, which was a derivative of the WCO. Then the Patriots acquired Randy Moss and Brady threw 50 TD passes in a vertical passing offense. Since Moss, they've run an offense very similar to what Tom Moore coached at Indianapolis with Manning, emphasizing a lot of four and five-receiver sets and extensive use of slot receivers. He's consistently been well above average in every passing category and he's made seamless transitions from one type of offense to another.

I'm not a Patriots' fan, but I live in New England and I've seen just about every game Brady has ever played. I've been impressed with his very consistent level of play in all three offenses, against all kinds of opposition, and in the face of adversity. I don't think he's ever been the best quarterback in the NFL, but he's consistently been among the top five and most often among the top three.

So you are saying that he has run different systems? That's not really true. The system is the same. It's the focus that's changed, depending on personnel.

[rhickok1109]

Here is an interesting entry that I found from the 2001 season:

http://espn.go.com/page2/s/halloran/011128.html

Also, you make some good points about Bledsoe, but I also agree with the author that Brady wasn't really all that impressive his first season (or any of their SB winning seasons, for that matter). Then, they win their third SB, and all of a sudden, I am hearing this "Brady is a GOAT candidate" talk.

I don't think that it was warranted. Tom has some good qualities, but he has been the beneficiary of Belichick's system the last 14 years.

What system do you mean? Brady originally ran Charlie Weis's offense, which was a derivative of the WCO. Then the Patriots acquired Randy Moss and Brady threw 50 TD passes in a vertical passing offense. Since Moss, they've run an offense very similar to what Tom Moore coached at Indianapolis with Manning, emphasizing a lot of four and five-receiver sets and extensive use of slot receivers. He's consistently been well above average in every passing category and he's made seamless transitions from one type of offense to another.

I'm not a Patriots' fan, but I live in New England and I've seen just about every game Brady has ever played. I've been impressed with his very consistent level of play in all three offenses, against all kinds of opposition, and in the face of adversity. I don't think he's ever been the best quarterback in the NFL, but he's consistently been among the top five and most often among the top three.

So you are saying that he has run different systems? That's not really true. The system is the same. It's the focus that's changed, depending on personnel.

I guess it depends on what "system" means. If it simply means terminology (in which case, only three offensive have been used in the NFL over the past 40 years or so), then it's true that Brady has played in the same system for his entire career.

But if "system" means the way in which the QB has to read defenses and the progressions he has to go through to find an open receiver, Brady has played in three different systems.