 |
| |
 |
New England
PATRIOTS
2002 Record: 9-7
Head Coach: Bill Belichick
61-67 overall, 4-1 postseason
|
|
TEAM LEADERS
|
|
Passing
|
Tom Brady
373-601, 3,764 yards, 28 TDs, 14 INTs
|
|
Rushing
|
Antowain Smith
252 carries, 982 yards, 6 TDs
|
|
Receiving
|
Troy Brown
97 catches, 890 yards, 3 TDs
|
|
Kicking
|
Adam Vinatieri
27-30 FGs, 36-36 PATs, 117 points
|
|
Schedule | Roster |
Statistics | Stadium
|
|
|
By Jacob Luft, SI.com
The Patriots got all the breaks on their way to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII. Perhaps fittingly, they came up one break shy of even making the playoffs in 2002.
Despite a stirring overtime win against Miami in Week 17, the Pats saw their season end later that day when the Jets beat Green Bay to clinch the AFC East title. The twist of fate was enough to have fatalistic Boston fans wondering if New England had used up 20 years of karma in that magical Super Bowl run.
Fortunately for the franchise, Bill Belichick doesn't believe in such dribble. He went to work this offseason to retool a defense that gave up 40 touchdowns last year, 18 more than it allowed in 2001. The additions of safety Rodney Harrison and linebacker Roosevelt Colvin will go a long way toward shoring up the 31st-rated run defense. Four of the top five draft picks were used on defensive players
So the defense should be improved, but what about the offense? Tom Brady did surprisingly well last season (AFC-best 28 TD passes) despite a subpar running game, and he has his Three Amigos back in Troy Brown, David Patten and Deion Branch. Tailback Antowain Smith was lackluster, however, in heading the league's 28th-ranked rush offense. Perhaps that will open the door for Kevin Faulk to carry more of the load.
Roosevelt Colvin has compiled 21 sacks in the past two seasons, bringing instant credibility back to the Patriots' linebacking corps.
They didn't really lose anybody of note, unless you count the trade of free safety Tebucky Jones to the Saints for draft picks. But even that was just to make room for Harrison in the starting lineup.
QB Tom Brady -- He proved his Super Bowl run was no fluke last year by throwing for 28 TDs and 3,764 yards (including three 300-yard games). He's got plenty of targets like Troy Brown, David Patten and Deion Branch, and he continues to show lots of maturity in the pocket. However, the team's dink-and-dunk attack can sometimes wreak havoc on the numbers. Despite his big season-long stats, he had six games below 200 yards passing, including three in a row in Weeks 14-16 – right in the midst of the fantasy playoffs.
RB Antowain Smith -- After a breakthrough season in 2001, Smith reverted back to relative mediocrity, rushing for just six TDs (compared to 12 in '01) and just one 100-yard game. Smith has been a very inconsistent player during his career, and it's hard to rely on him as your No. 1 or even No. 2 running back.
WR Bethel Johnson -- The team's second-round pick from Texas A&M is another short wideout (5-11) in the same mold as other sub-6-footers like Troy Brown, Deion Branch and David Patten. He is also one of the faster receivers on the team, which could make him a potential big-play threat right away. It's hard to put a lot of stock in rookie receivers, but he could provide a little boost on certain weeks, much like Branch last season.
|
>> Patriots will make the playoffs because ...
|
Tom Brady is the next Joe Montana. At least that was the early tag on him after calmly leading the Patriots on a game-winning drive in the Super Bowl. But no matter how well Brady plays, this team will have to improve its presence on the line of scrimmage, where it was pushed around last year.
|
>> Patriots will miss the playoffs because ...
|
They can't produce a suitable running game to complement Brady. Without a power rushing attack, defenses put too much pressure on the short-passing game for the Pats to be successful.
| New England Patriots |
|---|
| Signed |
From |
Lost |
To |
| OL Tom Ashworth |
Re-signed |
T Greg Randall |
Trade w/ Hou. |
| C Lonie Paxton |
Re-signed |
WR Donald Hayes |
Jaguars |
| CB Ben Kelly |
Re-signed |
CB Terrell Buckley |
Dolphins |
| CB Tyrone Poole |
Broncos |
RB Marc Edwards |
Jaguars |
| S Je'Rod Cherry |
Re-signed |
TE Cam Cleeland |
Rams |
| DE Rick Lyle |
Broncos |
C Grey Ruegamer |
Packers |
| TE Fred Baxter |
Re-signed |
S Tebucky Jones |
Trade w/ N.O. |
| LB Rosevelt Colvin |
Bears |
|
|
| S Rodney Harrison |
Chargers |
|
|
| S Chris Akins |
Browns |
|
|
| RB Fred McCrary |
Chargers |
|
|
| LB Maugaula Tuitele |
Re-signed |
|
|
| LB Matt Chatham |
Re-signed |
|
|
| S Aric Morris |
Titans |
|
|
| LB Don Davis |
Rams |
|
|
| WR Dedric Ward |
Dolphins |
|
|
| RB Patrick Pass |
Re-signed |
|
|
| RB Mike Cloud |
Chiefs |
|
|
| C Bill Conaty |
Bills |
|
|
| Unrestricted |
Restricted |
| S Victor Green |
|
| S Rob Kelly |
|
| S Chris Hayes |
|
| DE Bernard Holsey |
|
| 2003 Draft Picks |
|---|
| Rd. |
Pick |
Player |
Pos. |
School |
| 1 |
13 (13) |
Ty Warren |
DT |
Texas A&M |
| 2 |
4 (36) |
Eugene Wilson |
CB |
Illinois |
| 2 |
13 (45) |
Bethel Johnson |
WR |
Texas A&M |
| 4 |
20 (117) |
Dan Klecko |
DT |
Temple |
| 4 |
23 (120) |
Asante Samuel |
CB |
UCF |
| 5 |
29 (164) |
Dan Koppen |
C |
Boston Coll. |
| 6 |
28 (201) |
Kliff Kingsbury |
QB |
Texas Tech |
| 7 |
20 (234) |
Spencer Nead |
TE |
BYU |
| 7 |
25 (239) |
Tully Banta-Cain |
DE |
California |
| 7 |
29 (243) |
Ethan Kelley |
DT |
Baylor |
| |
|
|
|
