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2001 Patriots vs 2008 Dolphins

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I've been thinking about this all season but just recently decided to write down all the comparisons. Perhaps you will be able to expand on what I see and give your final verdict.

Belichick & Parcells Connection

2001: Bill Belichick, the defensive mastermind and great head coach is the coach of the New England Patriots. After years of mediocrity and bad teams, perhaps the Patriots are ready to turn the corner. Parcells was the coach of the dismal Pats but turned it around during their 96 Superbowl campaign but left thereafter

2008: After years of mediocrity and bad teams, the Dolphins hire Bill Parcells to try and straighten out the franchise and turn it back to its winning ways. Parcells influence immediately starts spread over the Dolphins with a new tough, winning attitude

Records
2001: Patriots are coming off a 5-11 season and ultimately turn it around winning their final six games to finish at 11-5 and win the division via tiebreaker TIED FOR FIRST WITH THE MIAMI DOLPHINS. The Patriots started the season 0-2.
2008: Dolphins are coming off a 1-15 season (!) and after winning their last three and a chance to win their remaining two games the dolphins will have won their final 5 games to finish at 11-5 and win the division. There is a chance the Dolphins will win the division via tiebreaker tied for FIRST WITH THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS. The Dolphins started the season 0-2.

Quarterbacks/Luck
2001: After losing their first game of the year, QB Drew Bledsoe is injured during Game 2 and is knocked out for the remainder of the regular season due to Tom Brady’s emergence as an effective game manager who is not prone to mistakes, INTs and Sacks like his predecessor. Brady’s 01 stats: 264/413 (63.9%) for 2800 yards 18TD 12 INT 86.5 rating.
2008: Brett Favre retires from GB only to decide to return to the NFL. GB doesn’t want him back and he ends up signing with the Jets who release QB Pennington. Pennington signs with the Dolphins during the preseason. After a shaky start he emerges as an effective game manager who is not prone to mistakes, INTs and sacks like his predecessor (Cleo Lemon/John Beck). Pennington’s 08 stats (through 14 games): 273/412 (66.3%) 14TD 6INT 95.1 rating.
The Statement Game
2001: The 0-2 Patriots are playing the 2-0 Colts. The Colts are crushed 44-13. The Patriots go to Indy in Week 6 and beat the Colts 38-17 behind WR David Patten who throws for a 60 yard TD on a flea flicker, scores a 91 yard receiving TD, and runs for a TD.
2008: The 0-2 Dolphins go to Foxboro to play the 2-0 Patriots. The Patriots are crushed 38-17 (yes, you read that right… same score as the Indy/Pats week 6 game) behind RB Ronnie Brown who rushes for 4 TDs and throws for another TD as the Dolphins unveil the Wildcat offense

Defenses
2001: Patriots defense is the bend but don’t break kind that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. They give up an average of 17ppg during the season. During their final 6 game win streak they come into their own and buckle down further and only give up an average of 13ppg.
2008: Dolphins defense is the bend but don’t break kind that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. They give up an average of 19ppg (through 14 games). During their current 7/8 winning streak the defense comes into its own and gives up an average of 17ppg. Throwing out the week 12 anomaly vs New England (48 points) and their only loss during that time, they give up 13ppg.

Playoffs
2001: Pats enter the playoffs as the AFC East champ and the #2 seed. The Dolphins were a Wildcard team and the #4 seed. No one takes the Patriots seriously, too young, too inexperienced, rookie QB, etc. Pats win in the snow bowl vs the Raiders via the Tuck Rule, go into Pitt as heavy underdogs and win behind Troy Brown who returns a punt for a TD and Drew Bledsoe who returns after Brady injures his ankle.
2008: Dolphins control their own destiny and can enter the playoffs as the AFC East champ and #3 seed. There is a chance the Patriots can enter as a Wildcard #5/6 seed. No one takes the Dolphins seriously, too young, too inexperienced, not talented enough. If the Dolphins advance maybe Ted Ginn will run back a punt for a TD and propel them into the Superbowl.

Superbowl
2001: Patriots are 14 point underdogs who get “no respect” and shut down the flashy Rams and win on a last second field goal
2008: Remains to be see but you have to figure the Dolphins would be heavy underdogs against whatever NFC team was on the other side.
 
COHIBA jared said:
I've been thinking about this all season but just recently decided to write down all the comparisons. Perhaps you will be able to expand on what I see and give your final verdict.

Belichick & Parcells Connection

2001: Bill Belichick, the defensive mastermind and great head coach is the coach of the New England Patriots. After years of mediocrity and bad teams, perhaps the Patriots are ready to turn the corner. Parcells was the coach of the dismal Pats but turned it around during their 96 Superbowl campaign but left thereafter

2008: After years of mediocrity and bad teams, the Dolphins hire Bill Parcells to try and straighten out the franchise and turn it back to its winning ways. Parcells influence immediately starts spread over the Dolphins with a new tough, winning attitude

Records
2001: Patriots are coming off a 5-11 season and ultimately turn it around winning their final six games to finish at 11-5 and win the division via tiebreaker TIED FOR FIRST WITH THE MIAMI DOLPHINS. The Patriots started the season 0-2.
2008: Dolphins are coming off a 1-15 season (!) and after winning their last three and a chance to win their remaining two games the dolphins will have won their final 5 games to finish at 11-5 and win the division. There is a chance the Dolphins will win the division via tiebreaker tied for FIRST WITH THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS. The Dolphins started the season 0-2.

Quarterbacks/Luck
2001: After losing their first game of the year, QB Drew Bledsoe is injured during Game 2 and is knocked out for the remainder of the regular season due to Tom Brady’s emergence as an effective game manager who is not prone to mistakes, INTs and Sacks like his predecessor. Brady’s 01 stats: 264/413 (63.9%) for 2800 yards 18TD 12 INT 86.5 rating.
2008: Brett Favre retires from GB only to decide to return to the NFL. GB doesn’t want him back and he ends up signing with the Jets who release QB Pennington. Pennington signs with the Dolphins during the preseason. After a shaky start he emerges as an effective game manager who is not prone to mistakes, INTs and sacks like his predecessor (Cleo Lemon/John Beck). Pennington’s 08 stats (through 14 games): 273/412 (66.3%) 14TD 6INT 95.1 rating.
The Statement Game
2001: The 0-2 Patriots are playing the 2-0 Colts. The Colts are crushed 44-13. The Patriots go to Indy in Week 6 and beat the Colts 38-17 behind WR David Patten who throws for a 60 yard TD on a flea flicker, scores a 91 yard receiving TD, and runs for a TD.
2008: The 0-2 Dolphins go to Foxboro to play the 2-0 Patriots. The Patriots are crushed 38-17 (yes, you read that right… same score as the Indy/Pats week 6 game) behind RB Ronnie Brown who rushes for 4 TDs and throws for another TD as the Dolphins unveil the Wildcat offense

Defenses
2001: Patriots defense is the bend but don’t break kind that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. They give up an average of 17ppg during the season. During their final 6 game win streak they come into their own and buckle down further and only give up an average of 13ppg.
2008: Dolphins defense is the bend but don’t break kind that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. They give up an average of 19ppg (through 14 games). During their current 7/8 winning streak the defense comes into its own and gives up an average of 17ppg. Throwing out the week 12 anomaly vs New England (48 points) and their only loss during that time, they give up 13ppg.

Playoffs
2001: Pats enter the playoffs as the AFC East champ and the #2 seed. The Dolphins were a Wildcard team and the #4 seed. No one takes the Patriots seriously, too young, too inexperienced, rookie QB, etc. Pats win in the snow bowl vs the Raiders via the Tuck Rule, go into Pitt as heavy underdogs and win behind Troy Brown who returns a punt for a TD and Drew Bledsoe who returns after Brady injures his ankle.
2008: Dolphins control their own destiny and can enter the playoffs as the AFC East champ and #3 seed. There is a chance the Patriots can enter as a Wildcard #5/6 seed. No one takes the Dolphins seriously, too young, too inexperienced, not talented enough. If the Dolphins advance maybe Ted Ginn will run back a punt for a TD and propel them into the Superbowl.

Superbowl
2001: Patriots are 14 point underdogs who get “no respect” and shut down the flashy Rams and win on a last second field goal
2008: Remains to be see but you have to figure the Dolphins would be heavy underdogs against whatever NFC team was on the other side.
Click to expand...

I've been thinking about that for the last couple of months as well. This is the team we compare to the most in recent years. This is why I get tired of people complaining about the "close wins". Look up the 2001 Patriots schedule. You'll find plenty of close wins. The point is to win, not win big!
 
Nice job. Can't believe how much the 2 teams have in common. Lets hope for the same outcome.
 
Honestly, when I read the title of this thread, my thought was: "silly"

But, this is kinda eerie.
 
The 2001 Pats*...I feel disgusting knowing I kind of rooted for them that year. Had I known they were an illegally videotaping bunch of *******, I wouldn't have.

I hate the Dolfags, but at least I resp--wait, **** that.
 
The other big similarity between these 2 teams is that in 2001 the patriots just seemed to find a way to win. I've been thinking for a couple months now that we seem to be taking a very similar path in that every game seems to come down to the wire, thankfully with us on the winning end (most of the time) this year.
 
Bumpus said:
Honestly, when I read the title of this thread, my thought was: "silly"

But, this is kinda eerie.
Click to expand...

Not saying that the Phins are going to waltz to the superbowl, but i actually attended every pats game that year (lived in MA) and these teams are ridiculously similar. The funny thing is that we have a better running game but I think the Patriots of 2001 had a better pass defense.

The patriots had an amazing run of luck through the playoffs though so hopefully we'll get just as lucky, plus they also had a bye that year which really helped.

Getting the Raiders in a blizzard, the tuck rule, troy brown returns a punt for a TD against the steelers in the afc champ game, brady gets injured in the afc champ game then bledsoe comes in and throws a TD, vinateiri kicks in the snow bowl and the super bowl, etc
 
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