Where would the Pats be with Bledsoe still pulling the trigger?

[Bronco Yoda]

The same could be asked about the Rams a few years ago with Warner but they did win mostly with thier Offense whereas the Pats have relied heavily on a resilient Defense and clutch kicking game.

So...

If Bledsoe was still pulling the trigger would they have won any of these recent Super Bowls or maybe they would have already had a three peat?

Why this discussion. Well I've talked to a few Pat fans (pretty cool I might add) about this and haven't really got a straight answer though. At first It's all about the 'team' this and the 'coach' that... and the 'kicking game' this...

I will agree that Bill Belichick is a great coach, kraft a personable owner and you'd still have the same resilient D and kicking game.

So, Before the knee-jerk reaction here of Tom terrific this and Tom terrific that...

If Pats fans believe that Tom is everything.... then they must feel like they won the lottery being the luckiest SOB's in sports land or something after Bledsoe had his serious injury. Tom would still be sitting on the bench there (or somewhere) if Bledsoe still was under center.

It's not like the Pats drafted Tom to replace Bledsoe. Afterall Bledsoe was and still is a good QB. A franchise QB. Maybe not great QB but still good enough to hang onto until...... retirement, injury, etc.

In closing we've all admired the 'TEAM' concept mantra put forth by the media concerning the Pats. So in this plug-in-this and plug-in-that system Tom shouldn't be everything. Maybe the key ingrediant but then Bledsoe wasn't exactly a scrub either. He was good enought to get them far without the current great Defense.

So, Would the Pats have won anything the last few years without Brady falling off the bench and into their laps?

Perhaps not three but two or even 1 SuperBowl?

Or has all this Patriot success not been a 'TEAM' win afterall but a Lucky or shall we say very fortunate set of events for the Patriots.

Now pipe up Patriots Nation.... I know you're lurking out there....

[Drek]

Wouldn't have won the SB the first year, but I think they would have one one or two since. Brady was going to become their next QB, and Bledsoe was out real quick regardless. He just wasn't the right QB for their system. Brady will take a hit to make a throw, Beldsoe would get rattled after a few hurries or a little contact (still does).

[Tw0mey]

Bledsoe won the AFC Championship game their first SB win, Brady got hurt that game but came back for the SB

[listopencil]

The Pats wouldn't be anywhere near then same team with Bledsoe in there. Too many times after their D held, Brady took them down the field and either got a TD or set up Vinny for a FG to win the game. They won each SB by three points. That should tell you something. No way they do that with Bledsoe.

[listopencil]

Bledsoe won the AFC Championship game their first SB win, Brady got hurt that game but came back for the SB


Bledsoe won the AFC Championship when the Pats lost to Green Bay in the SB.

[ludo21]

I dont think they would have, They would have been a good team, but with Brady at the helm they are great. He is vastly under rated and is one of the main reasons they have won all those close games in recent years. I just dont Bledsoe would have won thos games.

[Rock Chalk]

Bledsoe won the AFC Championship when the Pats lost to Green Bay in the SB.
Bledsoe played in the playoffs the year the Pats went on to beat the Rams in the superbowl. Brady had been injured. Couldn't tell you which game but I kinda remember him winning one of them outright and playing part of another.

That was the tuck year so Im pretty sure that Bledsoe was playing in the divisional/wild card game. He was responsible for one of those playoff wins that year though.

[listopencil]

Bledsoe played in the playoffs the year the Pats went on to beat the Rams in the superbowl.



I remember Bledsoe going in for an injured Brady, I meant when Bledsoe was the starter. Back when Parcells was the coach.

[Merlin]

The game he replaced him for was the 2002 AFC championship game. The Patriots, 9 1/2-point underdogs, but won 24-17. Bledsoe came in around the half time mark NE was leading 7-3, but their O was not scoring. Brady was doing his usual conservative (the game he played then was very conservative) dink and dunks, but he was not able to score (the 7 points were ST punt return).

Drew came off the Bench after a 4 month layoff, guns-a-blazing and completed 3 straight passes for 36 yards and a touchdown while running the hurry-up offense. He completed an 18-yard pass to Troy Brown on 3rd and 11 to keep a crucial 4th quarter drive alive. Although he only completed 10 of his 21 pass attempts, he came up huge when he had to. Pittsburgh came on strong in the 3rd quarter with 2 consecutive touchdown drives and cut the Patriots lead to 4 pts (21-17). Pitts #1 ranked D was killing the Patriots running game, so, Bledsoe orchestrated an 11-play scoring drive taking 5:17 off of the clock, followed by a 9-play drive consuming nearly 4 minutes.

So yes, I think he could have won the 1st SB. However, I don't think he could have orchestrated the 2nd and 3rd SB wins that Brady helped win.

[listopencil]

Drew came off the Bench after a 4 month layoff, guns-a-blazing and completed 3 straight passes for 36 yards and a touchdown while running the hurry-up offense. He completed an 18-yard pass to Troy Brown on 3rd and 11 to keep a crucial 4th quarter drive alive. Although he only completed 10 of his 21 pass attempts, he came up huge when he had to. Pittsburgh came on strong in the 3rd quarter with 2 consecutive touchdown drives and cut the Patriots lead to 4 pts (21-17). Pitts #1 ranked D was killing the Patriots running game, so, Bledsoe orchestrated an 11-play scoring drive taking 5:17 off of the clock, followed by a 9-play drive consuming nearly 4 minutes.



He wasn't exactly chopped liver the year they beat the Jagwads in the AFC Championship and they still lost to the Packers. There's no way Bledsoe could have done what Brady did.

[Rascal]

It's not like Bledsoe is a bad QB, he is doing very well in Dallas this year. If he can have a good line keep him upright he will be successful.

I think they would have made the playoffs but I doubt they would have won their SB's.

[PatsWin2002]

http://www.tropicalisland.de/japan/tokyo/thumbnails/NRT%20Tokyo%20-%20japanese%20high-tech%20toilet%20in%20the%20Yaesu%20Terminal%20Hote l%20with%20flatscreen%20LCD%20TV%203008x2000.jpg

[Rock Chalk]

http://www.tropicalisland.de/japan/tokyo/thumbnails/NRT%20Tokyo%20-%20japanese%20high-tech%20toilet%20in%20the%20Yaesu%20Terminal%20Hote l%20with%20flatscreen%20LCD%20TV%203008x2000.jpg
You're biased on the issue.