#17 - Mike Taliaferro, QB Ugh. And so it begins. We're about to hit a stretch of mediocre (at best) quarterbacks because, as I have stated multiple times, the Patriots being a successful franchise is fairly new. Taliaferro played seven seasons in the AFL, four with the Jets and three with the Patriots, before playing one season in the NFL with the Bills. His time with the Boston Patriots was from 1968-1970. In his three years he was, to put it simply, not very good. He had 27 touchdowns to 44 interceptions. His one decent year, and by decent I mean more touchdowns than picks, was 1969 when he had 19 touchdowns to 18 interceptions; it was the one and only time he was named an AFL All-Star. Just for fun, let's look at a few other players who wore #17...Chad Jackson (what a bust), Tom Owen (3-9 TD-INT), Elmo Wright (Elmo!), Henry Ellard (who?), and most recently, Aaron Dobson, who could actually take this spot over if he, you know, plays at all this season; it is not that difficult to take this spot. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com
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#18 - Randy Vataha, WR Vataha was a wide receiver that was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in 1971, but signed with the Patriots. His best seasons came as a rookie, when he had career highs in catches (51), yards (872), and touchdowns (nine). Vataha attended Stanford University before his time in the NFL. His quarterback at Stanford was Jim Plunkett. His quarterback when he was with the Patriots? Jim Plunkett. That must make for an easier transition to pro ball for both Vataha and Plunkett. Vataha finished his Patriots career in 1976. He had 188 career catches for 3,164 yards and 23 touchdowns. His final season in the NFL was 1977, which he spent with the Green Bay Packers, recording ten catches for 109 yards. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #19 - Tom Tupa, P Punters need love, too! Tom Tupa, however, actually began his career as a quarterback. The Phoenix Cardinals drafted him in the third round in 1988. He was a starting quarterback for one season, 1991, but served primarily as a backup for the first few years of his career. He became a full-time punter in 1994 for the Cleveland Browns. Tupa signed with the Patriots in 1996, and played in New England for three seasons. During those three seasons, he averaged 44.7 yards per punt, the best average he had with any of the seven teams he was a member of, excluding the Cardinals, as he had only six punts with them. What Tupa is known for, however, is the two-point conversion. The NFL adopted the two-point conversion in 1994, and Tom Tupa scored the very first conversion, running in a fake extra point. He will forever be known as "Two Point Tom." Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com "Running back Stevan Ridley spent most of the 2013 season in the doghouse. If there is one thing that Bill Belichick cannot stand, it is being careless with the ball, and Bill believed that Ridley was exactly that. For the second straight season, the running back out of Louisiana State University put the ball on the ground four times. He fumbled once his rookie season. #20 - Gino Cappelletti, WR/K Mr. Patriot himself. Gino Cappelletti played for the Patriots from 1960-1970. An extremely versatile player, Cappelletti was a wide receiver who also look on kicking duties for the Pats. He was the all-time leading scorer for the Patriots until 2005 when fellow kicker Adam Vinatieri passed him. Cappelletti had 42 touchdowns, 176 field goals, and 342 extra points to go along with four two point conversions for 1,130 points. His first and last seasons were the only that he did not find the end zone. Minus those two seasons, where he had two combined receptions, he averaged 5.5 touchdowns per season, including a career high nine in 1965. He had seven touchdowns the previous year to go along with over 800 receiving yards, earning him the AFL MVP award. Cappelletti was a five-time AFL All-Star and was elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 1992. After retiring, Cappelletti joined Gil Santos, elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2013, in the broadcast booth for 28 seasons. He retired from announcing in 2012. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #21 - JR Redmond, RB Redmond is not in this spot because of his draft selection; he was only a third round pick in 2000. Redmond is not in this spot because of his exceptional rushing ability; his career high in rushing yards came in his rookie season when he rushed for 406 yards and his lone touchdown as a professional football player. Redmond is not in this spot because he was a great receiving back; he was a good receiving back, but never even as good as somebody like Darren Sproles. His best receiving season came in his final season when he had 32 catches for 233 yards as a member of the Raiders. Redmond is in this spot for one reason and it is one drive. On the final drive of the 2001 Super Bowl, while John Madden was saying that with no timeouts that the Patriots should just take a knee and go to overtime, Brady came out throwing. He checked down to Redmond three times to start the drive. If Redmond does not get open or catch those passes, the Patriots do not make that final drive to win the Super Bowl. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #22 - Asante Samuel, CB Samuel was a draft day steal of Bill Belichick. He was the 120th player selected in 2003 and went on to be an All-Pro. Asante had a spectacular career in New England. He was in town for five years (2003-2007). He went to four Pro Bowls, was an All-Pro three times, two time Super Bowl Champion, including his rookie season. Samuel also led the league in interceptions twice during his career, and once as a Patriot. In 2006, Samuel recorded a career high 10 interceptions. Those ten interceptions are the second most ever recorded in a season by a Patriots defender, after Ron Hall's 11. Unfortunately, one of the plays that every Patriots fan will always remember when they think of Samuel was his non-interception in the 2007 Super Bowl. If he picks that pass off, the game would have been over and the Patriots would have finished the season 19-0. (For How I Met Your Mother fans, imagine Marshall and the Vikings fans talking about the 1999 NFL Championship Game -- DAMN!) He is currently a free agent. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #23 - Ron Hall, CB Poor Ron Hall. How is he supposed to follow up that act? Ty Law was one of the best cornerbacks in the game and a fan favorite in Foxboro. Hall was a 28th round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1959. Yes, even I was surprised to see that the draft had 28 rounds. Looks the length of the MLB Draft. Anyways, after one season in Pittsburgh where he played only two games recording a pick and a fumble recovery, he switched over to the AFL to join the Boston Patriots. Hall would go on to play seven seasons with the Pats, 1961-1967. He made an AFL All-Star game in 1963 when he three interceptions. His best season would come the following season when he would pick of 11 passes. His 29 interceptions with the Patriots ranks third, tied with Roland James, Fred Marion. He trails only Ty Law and Raymond Clayborn, who each have 36. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #24 - Ty Law, CB Ty Law is one of the best cornerbacks we have seen in recent years, and right up there with Mike Haynes as the best cornerback to play for the Patriots. (Could Darrelle Revis change that?) Law picked off 36 passes over his time with the Patriots, tied with Raymond Clayborn for the most in team history. He was also well known for being able to read Peyton Manning like a book. In the 2003 AFC Championship Game, Law picked off Manning three times. He also picked off Kurt Warner in the 2001 Super Bowl and returned it for a touchdown. It could be said that Ty Law completely altered the way that NFL games are officiated. Because he was so physical at the line of scrimmage and even off of the line, the NFL started to call many more defensive holdings, pass interferences, and enforce the 5-yard rough rule. (Just picture Peyton whining to Daddy Manning.) Law is the most recent addition to the Patriots Hall of Fame, as he was inducted earlier this month, where he brought back his famous dance moves with Robert Kraft that he originally broke out at the first championship parade. He is up for the National Football League Hall of Fame next season. Follow @SamPericolo for the latest on sam-pericolo.weebly.com #25 - Rick Sanford, DB Rick Sanford played six seasons with the Patriots. He played both cornerback and safety during his stay in New England, but spent the majority of his time at safety. Sanford was a first round pick in 1979 out of South Carolina. Sanford picked off 16 passes with the Patriots, including a career high seven in 1983. In 1982, Sanford led the league with one defensive touchdown and also defensive return yards with 99. Sanford spent his final season, 1985, as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. He only played until he was 28 years old. 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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