Stats on Pats Weekly - Halfway to Greatness Article by Raleigh Dugal, southcoast247.com assistant editor
Okay, so mathematically speaking, sixteen regular season wins is a little more than halfway to the mantle of greatest NFL team in history. Statistically speaking, the Pats put up the highest total TDs and points (589) in a single season, along with Brady surpassing Peyton Manning’s passing TD record of 49. Randy Moss was vindicated by 23 TD receptions to oust Jerry Rice. Wes Welker shared this season’s total receptions crown with 112. New England ranked within the top five for total defense, and Bill Belichick, surprisingly enough, won the AP Coach of the Year award he so rightly deserved.
But Saturday’s playoff-like win over the Giants only puts the Patriots in position to make history. Should they (gasp) fail to play out fate’s hand, any conversation about them as one of the great gridiron teams of lore will become a farce. As it stands national pundits are already putting them down, despite the fact that six of their wins came against playoff teams (seven really, since Cleveland should have made it), as well as the only two NFC contenders and AFC arch-rival and Super Bowl defender Indianapolis.
Tom Coughlin stuck with his starters all game in an old-fashioned shootout that garnered more national ratings than some past Super Bowls. New England stacked the box all night, holding Brandon Jacobs to just 67 yards on the ground and forcing Eli Manning to play the game of his life to get a win. He did just that, tossing 252 yards and four TDs. Down by twelve points in the third quarter, New England answered back with a big time interception from CB Ellis Hobbs. They also flaunted their pass game by going to Randy Moss on two consecutive plays, winding up in the 65 yard record-breaking touchdown. Lawrence Maroney quietly ran for two TDs and a two point conversion that held the Giants a field goal away. Eli Manning managed to toss a late TD to Plaxico Burress in the game’s waning moments, but New York couldn’t recover the onsides kick, and the Patriots took a knee to history.
Now the Patriots’ perfect season has sparked plenty of debate over the greatest teams of all time. The ’72 Dolphins rolled the competition, but didn’t play one playoff team during the regular season run. If you’re really into lists, you definitely need to include one of Aikman’s Dallas teams, Montana’s 49ers, and Bradshaw’s Steelers. If you’re looking at sheer dominance, the ’85 Bears (who smoked the Pats in their first Super Bowl appearance) could possibly take the cake.
With three Super Bowls in a four year stretch, Belichick and Brady have put New England on the dynastic pedestal. But the way they play out this post-season could land them undisputed glory as the greatest football team assembled ever. If you disagree with that, go check the stat book.
Okay, so mathematically speaking, sixteen regular season wins is a little more than halfway to the mantle of greatest NFL team in history. Statistically speaking, the Pats put up the highest total TDs and points (589) in a single season, along with Brady surpassing Peyton Manning’s passing TD record of 49. Randy Moss was vindicated by 23 TD receptions to oust Jerry Rice. Wes Welker shared this season’s total receptions crown with 112. New England ranked within the top five for total defense, and Bill Belichick, surprisingly enough, won the AP Coach of the Year award he so rightly deserved.
