#69 - Julius Adams, DL Ok, I'm cheating a little bit on this one. Adams wore #69 in 1971 and 1987 and #85 for every year in between. Oh well, he's still the best Patriot to wear the number, even if it wasn't for very long. Adams was named to the All-Rookie team in 1971 and later named one of the best defensive linemen in the league in 1974 after recording 7.5 sacks. In 1979, he was part of a defense that led the league with 57 sacks; he recorded six sacks himself that season. He won the Jim Lee Hunt Award, given to the most outstanding Patriots lineman, in 1981. Adams was a part of the 1985 team that went to the Super Bowl, but ultimately came up short. He retired after the loss, but returned to the Patriots in 1987 before hanging up the cleats for good. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com
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#70 - Logan Mankins, G A pair of guards can both be considered here. Leon Gray teamed up with John Hannah on the left side of the offensive line to create holes for a historic season on the ground in 1978. However, Logan Mankins has been a beast on the left side of the line as well and has already played more games in a Patriots uniform that Gray, and is only adding to that number. Mankins has worked on protecting Brady and since 2005. He is a durable player, playing in at least 15 of 16 games in seven of his nine seasons in the league. Bill Belichick gave Mankins the greatest compliment I have ever heard him mumble saying that he has "coached a lot of tough guys, but I don't think there's any I'd put ahead of him." Although I do not have the audio, I am willing to bet he snorted after saying that, though. Anyway, Mankins has been to five Pro-Bowls and was on the 2010 offensive line that received the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award. He is, however, still looking to get that first ring; let's get that ring for him this year! Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #71 - Ray Hamilton, DT Ray Hamilton, nicknamed Sugar Bear, was a 14th round (yes, that was a thing) of the Patriots in 1973 and played his entire career with the Patriots. Since the "sack" was not a stat that was recorded until 1982, the year after Sugar Bear retired, there are little to no stats to show his effectiveness on the defensive line. What Hamilton is unfortunately known for was his hit on Oakland Raiders' quarterback Ken Stabler in the 1976 playoffs. He was wrongly called for roughing the passer and the Raiders went on to win the game. Was the tuck rule a 25 year late make up call? No, because as stupid as the tuck rule is, it was the correct call. Roughing the passer was wrong; Stabler was throwing the ball as Sugar Bear hit him. But I digress...Hamilton is your best #71 in Patriots history. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #72 - Matt Light, T Talk about being spoiled...Light was drafted by the Patriots in 2001 and was a part of a Championship team his rookie season. John Hannah was the best offensive lineman of all time and a professional football player for 13 years and never got a ring. Light played for the Patriots and only the Patriots. He was a three time Super Bowl champion and three time Pro-Bowler. He also was a part of the offensive line that won the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award, awarded to the best offensive line that year, in 2010. The team was fourth in the league sacks and led the league in scoring with 32.4 points per game. I used to always say that Light seemed to always get called for false starts and holds too often, but he really was one of the best offensive tackles in the league for over a decade. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #73 - Bill Atessis, DL Atessis played five games in a Patriots uniform and if you actually believe that he is the best #73 then I don't know what to tell you. Real #73 - John Hannah, G Hannah was the greatest ever. He was tough, durable, and, to put it simply, great. Hannah missed only five games over his 13 year career with the Patriots. He was part of an offensive line that helped set the NFL record for rushing yards by a team in a single season, with 3,165 yards in 1978. He is a member of the College Football, Patriots, and Pro Football Hall of Fames. He was named Offensive Lineman of the Year four times and made it to nine Pro-Bowls and went to the Super Bowl in 1985. Needless to say I think the Patriots hit on Hannah when they picked him fourth overall in 1973. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #74 - Shelby Jordan, T Jordan was a seventh round pick of the Houston Oilers but never played a game for them. He did, however, spend seven years (1975-1982) with the Patriots. Jordan stood at an incredible 6'7" but still did not stand out on the Patriots' offensive line, but it was not because of his size, he just happened to play all seven years on the same line as the one and only John Hannah. (How many times have I mentioned John Hannah so far in this series? Does anybody think they know who will be the best #73?) Jordan won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1984, a game in which running back Marcus Allen was the MVP of the game. Is Jordan the man to take credit for that? I don't know, the game was played six years before I was born, but I assume he had to have had a hand in creating holes for the NFL Hall of Famer. He was inducted into the Divisional College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #75 - Vince Wilfork, DT Big Vince somehow fell to the Patriots at number 21 in the 2004 NFL Draft and has emerged as the best nose tackle in football over his ten seasons as a Patriot. Not only is Wilfork a great run stopping defensive tackle, but he is a true leader. In 2008, Wilfork was named a defensive captain by his teammates. Wilfork tore his Achilles' tendon in week four against the Atlanta Falcons last year, ending his season. Many, including myself, believed it could be the last time we saw Wilfork in a Patriots uniform because of his large cap hit. However, the Patriots and Vince worked out an extension prior to the 2014 season and the anchor to the defensive line will be back for what could be the best defensive squad he has been a member of since joining the New England Patriots. Also, who could forget this Wilfork moment? Incredibly, Wilfork finished the season with two interceptions. That makes me think of a great poll question...was Wilfork's interception better than this kick return? #76 - Brian Holloway Let me start by saying this...it is difficult to find a lot to say about offensive linemen. They do all the work but they are not talked about much and the few stats that are kept are usually only used to show a poor performance. Holloway was a first round pick of the Patriots in 1981. Holloway lined up next to the greatest offensive lineman of all-time in John Hannah. In 1985, this left side of the line anchored a running game that brought the Patriots all the way to the Super Bowl, where they ran into one of the greatest defenses of all time - Mike Ditka's Chicago Bears. Holloway made three Pro-Bowls before leaving New England for Los Angeles Raiders. #77 - Tom Neville, OT If left tackle Nate Solder sticks with the Patriots and continues to play at such a high level, he could very well hold this spot at some point. However, he is only entering his fourth year in the league while Tom Neville, not to be confused with Neville Longbottom, played 12 seasons with the Patriots. Neville, who played for both the Boston and New England Patriots, is credited with mentoring offensive lineman John Hannah, who came to New England in Neville's ninth season in the league. Such a relationship with Hannah is extremely high praise, as Hannah is considered the best offensive lineman of all time. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #78 - Bruce Armstrong, OT Bruce Armstrong, a first round pick of the Patriots in 1987, started 212 games for the Patriots over a career that touched three decades (something only three players have done with one team in league history, per patriots.com). Those 212 games is most in franchise history. Armstrong was a six-time Pro-Bowler and was elected into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2001. In 1999, Armstrong played eight games with three torn ligaments in one of his knees...and still made the Pro Bowl. That is a tough and talented player right there. Unfortunately, Armstrong's career fell one year short of being part of the 2001 Super Bowl Championship team. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com |
SAMUEL PERICOLOSam is a graduate of Assumption College where he studied History, Marketing, and Political Science and was a Co-Producer on a weekly sports talk television show. Archives
March 2018
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