TheRainMaker
Well-known member
Wow...what at list! Great job Lord Dingleberry.
Top 25 Playoff Plays (non SB) of the Dynasty Years (25 - 11)
- Thread starter Dingleberry
- Start date
TheRainMaker
Well-known member
Since that game, I thought Moss mistimed that and should've caught that. Moss finally came out and admitted he should've caught that pass. I wasn't a fan of his new style of play in NE where he'd delay putting up his hands or jumping until the last second. I had a feeling it was going to catch up to him at some point and it unfortunately did. The Giants DB's swatted it away. Vikings Moss was my favorite were he was jumping over DB's.
Top 10 is coming. A few more days.
Boy, it's a pain in the ass trying to get clips that can be posted here from the NFL and have them be seen.
Looking forward to your Top 10 @Lord Dingleberry
Looking forward to your Top 10 @Lord Dingleberry
Coming. I have been busier than a dyke in a hardware store.
It had better be.
You know me too well. Just to be a douche, I'm going to be tempted to take it out now.
IF it was in there in the first place.
I definitely do not want to see the Brady to LaFell TD from that same game on that list. That’s one of the most underrated throws of all time.
Bullshit. Great throw.
Now I have to add that to the list. You're fucking dragging this out by making me change shit.
Kontra, feel free to read the rough draft before I post it.. I think it's a winner top 10 list.
I have a few things to do for work before I close out this mediocre day then I will read.
Now! It will take 30 seconds.
I like the work so far. Not many disagreements.
You read the wrong one!
No, I read the right one. I just want to keep the suspense alive. Like, literally.
Ok I'll share with the world. The Top 10!
One play qualifies as plays 10 thru 1. The greatest throw of all time.
#10 - #1 Brady to LaFell - The single greatest throw in NFL history finally put the Patriots up 35-31 in A game that looked out of reach all day. This led to that elusive 4th SB and kicked off the second part of the dynasty. If you don't believe in miracles, you will after you take another look at this throw.
Here's the list. The blog has the YouTube links included.
These are not necessarily the greatest, most impactful, or most important plays. They are simply my favorite plays. My most memorable plays. Naturally, there are six seasons and six playoff runs that stand above the rest. I don't typically look back too fondly on the seasons that ended in heartbreak. What a spoiled fucking fan. As a result, there are only four plays (from three games) on this list from losing playoff runs. And none from a losing game. Sorry, it is what it is.
The beauty of such lists is we can all argue about what was too high, too low, shouldn't have been there, and what was missing. Please offer your criticisms freely. I am sure I missed one play that should be here. Let me know.?
YouTube blocks most of these because they suck. Click on some of the links to reroute to YouTube and relive the moments. It's worth it!
The year listed for each play is the season year, not the year the game occurred. It's just how I remember these games. The Tuck Game was 2001 and will always be 2001. Yes, I know it was January, 2002.
#25 - Nate Solder TD / 2014 AFCCG vs Colts
This was such a satisfying ass kicking that I had to include a play. Add in the historical importance of the game because it and the preceding Ravens game (more on that later) instigated the abortion that was deflate gate. A joke of a "scandal" brought about by the two cuntiest (made up word) franchises abetted by cunty NFL officials. And this was the only play I could remember! I researched the game, and this is still the play that stands out. An OT catching a TD is always fun. Most teams run that play at the endzone. Not the Patriots. This was out near the 20 yard line. It was beautiful to rewatch. It was a metaphorical dragging of the nut sack across the Colts' faces.
#24 - Bethel Johnson converts 3rd and 13 / 2003 AFC Divisional vs Titans
If you don't remember this play, go back and watch it. What an individual effort from a player who was an overall disappointment. Unbelievably, he is on this list twice! Consider the stakes of this game. The Patriots were a one hit wonder still. They were slated to face the co-MVP's McNair and Manning to get to the Super Bowl. The temperature for the game was at 0 degrees, -20 degrees wind chill. It was going to be a defensive struggle. Tied 7-7, the Patriots faced a 3rd and 13 at their won 40. A short throw to Johnson to the right was going nowhere...until he reversed field. He sped backwards and around the left. One amazing Brady block and a plunge toward the marker, Johnson had extended the drive. A drive that led to a TD and a vital 14-7 lead. Yes, the existence of the first dynasty is in some part owed to Bethel Johnson.
Go to 1:10 of the highlights below. Or just watch all 5 minutes. It's worth it.
#23 - Billy Cundiff missed FG / 2011 AFCCG vs Ravens
He was lining up for a chip shot 32 yard FG with 14 seconds remaining to send the game to OT. I will never forget watching the ball hook immediately and thinking, yes, back to the Super Bowl! A single play sending you to the Super Bowl is always going to be memorable. A play that ripped the hearts out of Ravens fans is priceless.
#22 - Phillip Dorsett TD / 2018 AFCCG vs Chiefs
Unbelievably, we had held the Chiefs scoreless in the first half in Kansas City. With under a minute in the 2nd quarter, th final drive was looking good for a FG and a 10-0 lead going into the half. With 30 seconds to go, Brady heave a beautiful 29 yard pass to Dorsett who made a great catch while being interfered with. 14-0 IN Kansas City at the half? We're going to waltz to another Super Bowl! Not so fast. More to come from this game.
#21 - 4 OL Ineligible Receive / 2014 Divisional vs Ravens
This is a series of plays in a 3rd quarter drive down 28-14. There is no way to overstate the importance of this game. It had been 10 years since the last SB win. A loss in this game would have halted the beginning of the dynasty part two. These plays demonstrated part Belichick genius and part desperation. Best of all, it gave us several great camera shots of Harbaugh twat face.
#20 - Brady to Hogan flea flicker TD / 2016 AFCCG vs Steelers
After a lackluster performance against an inferior Texans team the prior week, this game was such a joy to watch. Like the Colts two years earlier, this was another championship game ass kicking against a hated rival. This flea flicker to a wide open Hogan (so wide open he almost dropped it) put the Patriots up 17-6 and the rout was on.This was easily the play I recall most from the game. A rewatch didn't change that.
#19 - Troy Brown strip forced fumble / 2006 Divisional vs Chargers
Down 8 late in the 4th, Brady threw an INT to Marlon Macree to pretty much ice the game. Unfortunately for the Chargers, Troy Brown kept playing and stripped Macree leading to a fumble recovery, a Patriots first down, and new life. One TD, 2 point conversion, and a FG later, the Patriots were on there way to the Championship Game. Again. This was the Chargers best team and best shot at a title. It wasn't meant to be. The Patriots season ended the following week, but causing LaDainian Tomlinson to have an epic (but classy of course) baby fit was glorious. And Troy Brown being Troy Brown was unforgettable.
#18 - Bruschi strips Dominic Rhodes / 2004 Divisional
The Colts were the media darlings. The Patriots were going for 3 out of 4 and stamping a dynasty. Late in the 2nd quarter, the Patriots were up 6-0 but the Colts were driving. A short pass to Dominic Rhodes out of the backfield promised to continue the drive until Bruschi wrapped him up and ripped the ball from his hands while falling to the ground. Why do I remember this play so fondly? It was a perfect representative for the dynamic between the two teams. One was a tough, bully team. The other was a soft, finesse, dome team. Go to 0:50 mark in the highlights below.
#17 - Rodney Harrison INT / 2004 AFCCG
The 15-1 Steelers were a cocky team having ended the Patriots' record winning streak in October. A more healthy Patriots team went to Pittsburgh and delivered an ass kicking to the #1 seed on the way to cementing its dynasty. We were up 17-3 nearing the end of the first half, but the Steelers were driving deep and threatening to make a game of it. Then the Rodney pick 6 happened. 24-3. Game over. I'll never forget Vrabel burying Roethlisberger into the turf while Rodney strutted into the endzone. Poor Pittsburgh, LOL.
#16 - Bethel Johnson 42 yard TD / 2003 AFC Divisional
Bethel again?! Yes, Bethel again. And we've already established how vital this 17-14 win in the sub zero cold was to starting a dynasty. Johnson never really landed out as the elusive speed WR, but for this one important game he was a stud. This TD put us up 7-0. His unbelievable 3rd and 13 conversion already mentioned led to the only other TD. A bad 2nd round pick, but for this game alone, I am grateful we took him.
#15 - Bledsoe to Patten TD / 2001 AFCCG
The Patriots were big underdogs but were somehow up 7-3 near the end of the half. Brady went down with an ankle injury, and Bledsoe came in for his second chance. A few plays later, a fade to Patten in the right corner of the end zone put the Patriots up 14-3 going into the half. It was a feel good moment for Bledsoe. Most of all, it's memorable because there is no question Bledsoe earned his one and only ring by playing a part in that run.
#14 - Amendola TD / 2017 AFCCG Jaguars
What a painful game this was to watch. And we had no business winning this game. Somehow, Brady willed the team to a 4th quarter comeback and another Super Bowl trip. Two plays from this game are unforgettable to me. I still do not know how Amendola got his second foot down on this TD, but I remember being ecstatic that somehow we had gone up 24-20 late in the game.
#13 - Gilmore PBU / 2017 AFCCG vs Jaguars
Same game, just a few minutes later. The Jaguars were driving against a defense that was going to kill our souls in the Super Bowl. On 4th down, Blake Bortles made an excellent accurate throw. Gilmore was better. He dove and knocked the ball away with one hand. An unbelievable trip to the Super Bowl had been clinched.
#12 - Antowain Smith 7 yard run on 3rd and 5 / 2001 AFC Divisional vs Raiders
Doesn't sound like a big play, does it? Consider that Vinateiri had just made the most improbable kick in NFL history. I had zero confidence in it happening again. It was 3rd and 4 from the Raiders 18 yard line. In Overtime. That would be a 35 yard FG if no more yards were gained. I was shitting a brick. A hand off to Smith to the right, a bounce outside and a broken tackle, and 7 yards later a first down. A few plays later, Vinateiri kicked a true chip shot to begin the run to a dynasty. To this day, I can picture Antowain Smith bouncing outside without ever watching it again. It was that meaningful to me in real time. And Antowain Smith is one of the most unheralded, forgotten heroes of the dynasty! Go to 22:04 in the video.
#11 - Burkhead TD / 2018 AFCCG vs Chiefs
This was the game that took days if not weeks off our lives. Freezing cold in Kansas City for one last Super Bowl run. The OT drive itself was epic, though this final play might seem anticlimactic. Fuck that! I wanted this game over. Once Burkhead plunged into the endzone, I felt like I had gone thru childbirth. Andrews waved at the crowd, Brady screamed like a girl in his full bodysuit, and my heart rate dropped to a normal level. Amazing game. The full overtime drive is below. Watch it all. It will reappear later on this list.
These are not necessarily the greatest, most impactful, or most important plays. They are simply my favorite plays. My most memorable plays. Naturally, there are six seasons and six playoff runs that stand above the rest. I don't typically look back too fondly on the seasons that ended in heartbreak. What a spoiled fucking fan. As a result, there are only four plays (from three games) on this list from losing playoff runs. And none from a losing game. Sorry, it is what it is.
The beauty of such lists is we can all argue about what was too high, too low, shouldn't have been there, and what was missing. Please offer your criticisms freely. I am sure I missed one play that should be here. Let me know.?
YouTube blocks most of these because they suck. Click on some of the links to reroute to YouTube and relive the moments. It's worth it!
The year listed for each play is the season year, not the year the game occurred. It's just how I remember these games. The Tuck Game was 2001 and will always be 2001. Yes, I know it was January, 2002.
#25 - Nate Solder TD / 2014 AFCCG vs Colts
This was such a satisfying ass kicking that I had to include a play. Add in the historical importance of the game because it and the preceding Ravens game (more on that later) instigated the abortion that was deflate gate. A joke of a "scandal" brought about by the two cuntiest (made up word) franchises abetted by cunty NFL officials. And this was the only play I could remember! I researched the game, and this is still the play that stands out. An OT catching a TD is always fun. Most teams run that play at the endzone. Not the Patriots. This was out near the 20 yard line. It was beautiful to rewatch. It was a metaphorical dragging of the nut sack across the Colts' faces.
#24 - Bethel Johnson converts 3rd and 13 / 2003 AFC Divisional vs Titans
If you don't remember this play, go back and watch it. What an individual effort from a player who was an overall disappointment. Unbelievably, he is on this list twice! Consider the stakes of this game. The Patriots were a one hit wonder still. They were slated to face the co-MVP's McNair and Manning to get to the Super Bowl. The temperature for the game was at 0 degrees, -20 degrees wind chill. It was going to be a defensive struggle. Tied 7-7, the Patriots faced a 3rd and 13 at their won 40. A short throw to Johnson to the right was going nowhere...until he reversed field. He sped backwards and around the left. One amazing Brady block and a plunge toward the marker, Johnson had extended the drive. A drive that led to a TD and a vital 14-7 lead. Yes, the existence of the first dynasty is in some part owed to Bethel Johnson.
Go to 1:10 of the highlights below. Or just watch all 5 minutes. It's worth it.
#23 - Billy Cundiff missed FG / 2011 AFCCG vs Ravens
He was lining up for a chip shot 32 yard FG with 14 seconds remaining to send the game to OT. I will never forget watching the ball hook immediately and thinking, yes, back to the Super Bowl! A single play sending you to the Super Bowl is always going to be memorable. A play that ripped the hearts out of Ravens fans is priceless.
#22 - Phillip Dorsett TD / 2018 AFCCG vs Chiefs
Unbelievably, we had held the Chiefs scoreless in the first half in Kansas City. With under a minute in the 2nd quarter, th final drive was looking good for a FG and a 10-0 lead going into the half. With 30 seconds to go, Brady heave a beautiful 29 yard pass to Dorsett who made a great catch while being interfered with. 14-0 IN Kansas City at the half? We're going to waltz to another Super Bowl! Not so fast. More to come from this game.
#21 - 4 OL Ineligible Receive / 2014 Divisional vs Ravens
This is a series of plays in a 3rd quarter drive down 28-14. There is no way to overstate the importance of this game. It had been 10 years since the last SB win. A loss in this game would have halted the beginning of the dynasty part two. These plays demonstrated part Belichick genius and part desperation. Best of all, it gave us several great camera shots of Harbaugh twat face.
#20 - Brady to Hogan flea flicker TD / 2016 AFCCG vs Steelers
After a lackluster performance against an inferior Texans team the prior week, this game was such a joy to watch. Like the Colts two years earlier, this was another championship game ass kicking against a hated rival. This flea flicker to a wide open Hogan (so wide open he almost dropped it) put the Patriots up 17-6 and the rout was on.This was easily the play I recall most from the game. A rewatch didn't change that.
#19 - Troy Brown strip forced fumble / 2006 Divisional vs Chargers
Down 8 late in the 4th, Brady threw an INT to Marlon Macree to pretty much ice the game. Unfortunately for the Chargers, Troy Brown kept playing and stripped Macree leading to a fumble recovery, a Patriots first down, and new life. One TD, 2 point conversion, and a FG later, the Patriots were on there way to the Championship Game. Again. This was the Chargers best team and best shot at a title. It wasn't meant to be. The Patriots season ended the following week, but causing LaDainian Tomlinson to have an epic (but classy of course) baby fit was glorious. And Troy Brown being Troy Brown was unforgettable.
#18 - Bruschi strips Dominic Rhodes / 2004 Divisional
The Colts were the media darlings. The Patriots were going for 3 out of 4 and stamping a dynasty. Late in the 2nd quarter, the Patriots were up 6-0 but the Colts were driving. A short pass to Dominic Rhodes out of the backfield promised to continue the drive until Bruschi wrapped him up and ripped the ball from his hands while falling to the ground. Why do I remember this play so fondly? It was a perfect representative for the dynamic between the two teams. One was a tough, bully team. The other was a soft, finesse, dome team. Go to 0:50 mark in the highlights below.
#17 - Rodney Harrison INT / 2004 AFCCG
The 15-1 Steelers were a cocky team having ended the Patriots' record winning streak in October. A more healthy Patriots team went to Pittsburgh and delivered an ass kicking to the #1 seed on the way to cementing its dynasty. We were up 17-3 nearing the end of the first half, but the Steelers were driving deep and threatening to make a game of it. Then the Rodney pick 6 happened. 24-3. Game over. I'll never forget Vrabel burying Roethlisberger into the turf while Rodney strutted into the endzone. Poor Pittsburgh, LOL.
#16 - Bethel Johnson 42 yard TD / 2003 AFC Divisional
Bethel again?! Yes, Bethel again. And we've already established how vital this 17-14 win in the sub zero cold was to starting a dynasty. Johnson never really landed out as the elusive speed WR, but for this one important game he was a stud. This TD put us up 7-0. His unbelievable 3rd and 13 conversion already mentioned led to the only other TD. A bad 2nd round pick, but for this game alone, I am grateful we took him.
#15 - Bledsoe to Patten TD / 2001 AFCCG
The Patriots were big underdogs but were somehow up 7-3 near the end of the half. Brady went down with an ankle injury, and Bledsoe came in for his second chance. A few plays later, a fade to Patten in the right corner of the end zone put the Patriots up 14-3 going into the half. It was a feel good moment for Bledsoe. Most of all, it's memorable because there is no question Bledsoe earned his one and only ring by playing a part in that run.
#14 - Amendola TD / 2017 AFCCG Jaguars
What a painful game this was to watch. And we had no business winning this game. Somehow, Brady willed the team to a 4th quarter comeback and another Super Bowl trip. Two plays from this game are unforgettable to me. I still do not know how Amendola got his second foot down on this TD, but I remember being ecstatic that somehow we had gone up 24-20 late in the game.
#13 - Gilmore PBU / 2017 AFCCG vs Jaguars
Same game, just a few minutes later. The Jaguars were driving against a defense that was going to kill our souls in the Super Bowl. On 4th down, Blake Bortles made an excellent accurate throw. Gilmore was better. He dove and knocked the ball away with one hand. An unbelievable trip to the Super Bowl had been clinched.
#12 - Antowain Smith 7 yard run on 3rd and 5 / 2001 AFC Divisional vs Raiders
Doesn't sound like a big play, does it? Consider that Vinateiri had just made the most improbable kick in NFL history. I had zero confidence in it happening again. It was 3rd and 4 from the Raiders 18 yard line. In Overtime. That would be a 35 yard FG if no more yards were gained. I was shitting a brick. A hand off to Smith to the right, a bounce outside and a broken tackle, and 7 yards later a first down. A few plays later, Vinateiri kicked a true chip shot to begin the run to a dynasty. To this day, I can picture Antowain Smith bouncing outside without ever watching it again. It was that meaningful to me in real time. And Antowain Smith is one of the most unheralded, forgotten heroes of the dynasty! Go to 22:04 in the video.
#11 - Burkhead TD / 2018 AFCCG vs Chiefs
This was the game that took days if not weeks off our lives. Freezing cold in Kansas City for one last Super Bowl run. The OT drive itself was epic, though this final play might seem anticlimactic. Fuck that! I wanted this game over. Once Burkhead plunged into the endzone, I felt like I had gone thru childbirth. Andrews waved at the crowd, Brady screamed like a girl in his full bodysuit, and my heart rate dropped to a normal level. Amazing game. The full overtime drive is below. Watch it all. It will reappear later on this list.
The Brady-Branch touchdown in the 2004 AFCCG was brutally underrated. That set the stage for another extremely satisfying ass kicking of the Squealers.
#10 Brady to Patten 4th and 4 / 2001 Divisional
This play is at 10:44 on the video below. It was 4th and 4 in OT at near the Raiders 30 yard line. Too far for a FG in that weather, and you could not expect Vinateiri to pull off another kick like that. A failed play would result in Raiders ball only needing a FG. This is the play I remember most vividly from this game. Brady threw to the left past the sticks. Patten was on his knees in a pile of snow when he caught the ball for a first down. And Wiggins came real close to getting his right hand on the throw (thinking it was meant for him) which would have been incomplete. The rest is history--history that wouldn't have happened without this huge conversion.
#9 Pats D stuffs Raiders 3rd and 1 / 2001 Divisional
Yes, the same game. This is where it all began. People think Vinateiri's kick was pure fate, but this game was filled with those moments. This is the third play from this game to make the list. The Raiders were up 13 - 10 getting near midfield. On 3rd and 1, a first down would have essentially ended the game. No miracle ending. No SB run. Maybe no dynasty. This play is at 5:45 below. What a moment watching Zach Crockett getting cut down and then stuffed before even getting close to converting.
#8 Edelman to Amendola TD / 2014 Divisional
The offense had already gone to the unbalanced OL out of desperation to get back into the game. This play was part two of going unconventional and tying the game at 28 - 28. Because of the novelty of a WR throwing the TD pass, the play is obviously well remembered. In this instance, it is justified. This was the game that led to the elusive 4th ring and began another dynasty within the dynasty. And it was a great play!
#7 Blocked FG for TD / 2001 AFCCG
Up 14-3 against the heavily favored Steelers, the Pats D held the Steelers to a short FG attempt. But with Brady out, an 8 point lead in the 2nd quarter would have been anything by comfortable. What happened next filled those ugly yellow towels with tears. Brandon Mitchell (who?) broke through the line and blocked the kick. Troy Brown (because it's Troy f'n Brown) scooped up the bouncing ball. As he was being tackled, he lateraled the ball to Antwan Harris (who?) who took it to the endzone. A 14 - 6 game turned into 21 - 3, and another improbable playoff victory was in sight.
#6 Rodney Harrison INT / 2003 AFCCG
The media darling Colts and Manning were the unstoppable offense. And the Patriots were the one-time "fluke" SB champion. The Patriots went up 7 -0 to begin the game on a TD pass from Brady to David Givens. The Colts promptly took the ball right down the field and were about to tie the game in the snow. On 3rd and Goal, Manning back pedaled looking for an open receiver and threw it into the endzone...and right into the arms of Rodney Harrison. The fans went nuts, and the dome team offense never looked the same after that one drive. Instead of a 7-7 game, we got the best combination of Manning face and his arms flailing in the air looking for someone to blame. The play is at 3:07 in the video. Enjoy the roar of the fans and the reactions from Manning!
#5. Troy Brown Punt Return TD / 2001 AFCCG
Troy f'n Brown. The Patriots were big underdogs, and this game was looking like it was going to be a struggle to score points. Late in the 1st quarter with no score, Brown fielded the punt close to midfield. He weaved thru tackles up the middle and found his was in the endzone. It was typical Troy Brown of that era. And I remember thinking that we might actually have a shot of going to the Super Bowl. The return is at 2:53 in the video below.
4. Vinatieri 46 yard FG / 2003 Divisional
What! A Vinatieri FG in the top 5, and it's not THAT one? This kick gets overlooked, but it was the epitome of clutchness. The game was tied 14-14 with 4:10 remaining. It was zero degrees with windchills below -20. It was the coldest game in Foxboro history. In those conditions, A 46 yard FG was not a sure thing. A miss would have given the Titans great field position and a great opportunity to win the game. When Vinatieri kicked that frozen ball, it looked like it would never make it. Somehow, it made it thru the lower left corner of the uprights. It would be any other kicker's signature kick. It may have been the most nervous I have ever been as a fan before a FGA. See it at 2:46 in the video.
#3. Brady to Branch 61 yard TD / 2004 AFCCG
I was worried about this game for some reason. We needed that 3rd SB for the dynasty label. Up 3-0 in the 1st quarter, the Pats D had just stuffed Bettis on a 4th and 1 run. The Patriots offense responded on the very next play with this bomb. Brady (battling the flu) threw a perfect pass deep to Branch in stride who proceeded to trash talk the Steelers fans in the endzone. 10-0. It was game over. Dynasty almost cemented. 0:50 in the video.
#2 Vinatieri 45 Yard FG / 2001 AFC Divisional
This flip flopped from #1 to #2 at the last minute. Call it #1b. I have no idea how that kick made it thru the wind and snow. I certainly didn't see the ball on my TV, just the refs arms raising in the air and the crowd going ape shit. This is the greatest kick in NFL history. Enjoy again below.
#1 3rd and 10 X 3 in OT / 2018 AFCCG
Yes, I know the first completion was on 3rd and 9, not 10. Close enough. And it's three plays not one. I don't care. This is the only time I have felt exhausted after a game. The highs and lows of the game were insane. And let's face it, the Chiefs were winning the game if they got a chance on offense in OT. A TD was a must. Three times, it looked like the drive was in jeopardy. Three times Brady made clutch throws to well covered receivers (Edelman, Edelman, Gronk). Anything less than perfection on those three plays would mean no sixth ring. This OT is by far my most rewatched Patriots game ever. See the video below for the goosebumps!
This play is at 10:44 on the video below. It was 4th and 4 in OT at near the Raiders 30 yard line. Too far for a FG in that weather, and you could not expect Vinateiri to pull off another kick like that. A failed play would result in Raiders ball only needing a FG. This is the play I remember most vividly from this game. Brady threw to the left past the sticks. Patten was on his knees in a pile of snow when he caught the ball for a first down. And Wiggins came real close to getting his right hand on the throw (thinking it was meant for him) which would have been incomplete. The rest is history--history that wouldn't have happened without this huge conversion.
#9 Pats D stuffs Raiders 3rd and 1 / 2001 Divisional
Yes, the same game. This is where it all began. People think Vinateiri's kick was pure fate, but this game was filled with those moments. This is the third play from this game to make the list. The Raiders were up 13 - 10 getting near midfield. On 3rd and 1, a first down would have essentially ended the game. No miracle ending. No SB run. Maybe no dynasty. This play is at 5:45 below. What a moment watching Zach Crockett getting cut down and then stuffed before even getting close to converting.
#8 Edelman to Amendola TD / 2014 Divisional
The offense had already gone to the unbalanced OL out of desperation to get back into the game. This play was part two of going unconventional and tying the game at 28 - 28. Because of the novelty of a WR throwing the TD pass, the play is obviously well remembered. In this instance, it is justified. This was the game that led to the elusive 4th ring and began another dynasty within the dynasty. And it was a great play!
#7 Blocked FG for TD / 2001 AFCCG
Up 14-3 against the heavily favored Steelers, the Pats D held the Steelers to a short FG attempt. But with Brady out, an 8 point lead in the 2nd quarter would have been anything by comfortable. What happened next filled those ugly yellow towels with tears. Brandon Mitchell (who?) broke through the line and blocked the kick. Troy Brown (because it's Troy f'n Brown) scooped up the bouncing ball. As he was being tackled, he lateraled the ball to Antwan Harris (who?) who took it to the endzone. A 14 - 6 game turned into 21 - 3, and another improbable playoff victory was in sight.
#6 Rodney Harrison INT / 2003 AFCCG
The media darling Colts and Manning were the unstoppable offense. And the Patriots were the one-time "fluke" SB champion. The Patriots went up 7 -0 to begin the game on a TD pass from Brady to David Givens. The Colts promptly took the ball right down the field and were about to tie the game in the snow. On 3rd and Goal, Manning back pedaled looking for an open receiver and threw it into the endzone...and right into the arms of Rodney Harrison. The fans went nuts, and the dome team offense never looked the same after that one drive. Instead of a 7-7 game, we got the best combination of Manning face and his arms flailing in the air looking for someone to blame. The play is at 3:07 in the video. Enjoy the roar of the fans and the reactions from Manning!
#5. Troy Brown Punt Return TD / 2001 AFCCG
Troy f'n Brown. The Patriots were big underdogs, and this game was looking like it was going to be a struggle to score points. Late in the 1st quarter with no score, Brown fielded the punt close to midfield. He weaved thru tackles up the middle and found his was in the endzone. It was typical Troy Brown of that era. And I remember thinking that we might actually have a shot of going to the Super Bowl. The return is at 2:53 in the video below.
4. Vinatieri 46 yard FG / 2003 Divisional
What! A Vinatieri FG in the top 5, and it's not THAT one? This kick gets overlooked, but it was the epitome of clutchness. The game was tied 14-14 with 4:10 remaining. It was zero degrees with windchills below -20. It was the coldest game in Foxboro history. In those conditions, A 46 yard FG was not a sure thing. A miss would have given the Titans great field position and a great opportunity to win the game. When Vinatieri kicked that frozen ball, it looked like it would never make it. Somehow, it made it thru the lower left corner of the uprights. It would be any other kicker's signature kick. It may have been the most nervous I have ever been as a fan before a FGA. See it at 2:46 in the video.
#3. Brady to Branch 61 yard TD / 2004 AFCCG
I was worried about this game for some reason. We needed that 3rd SB for the dynasty label. Up 3-0 in the 1st quarter, the Pats D had just stuffed Bettis on a 4th and 1 run. The Patriots offense responded on the very next play with this bomb. Brady (battling the flu) threw a perfect pass deep to Branch in stride who proceeded to trash talk the Steelers fans in the endzone. 10-0. It was game over. Dynasty almost cemented. 0:50 in the video.
#2 Vinatieri 45 Yard FG / 2001 AFC Divisional
This flip flopped from #1 to #2 at the last minute. Call it #1b. I have no idea how that kick made it thru the wind and snow. I certainly didn't see the ball on my TV, just the refs arms raising in the air and the crowd going ape shit. This is the greatest kick in NFL history. Enjoy again below.
#1 3rd and 10 X 3 in OT / 2018 AFCCG
Yes, I know the first completion was on 3rd and 9, not 10. Close enough. And it's three plays not one. I don't care. This is the only time I have felt exhausted after a game. The highs and lows of the game were insane. And let's face it, the Chiefs were winning the game if they got a chance on offense in OT. A TD was a must. Three times, it looked like the drive was in jeopardy. Three times Brady made clutch throws to well covered receivers (Edelman, Edelman, Gronk). Anything less than perfection on those three plays would mean no sixth ring. This OT is by far my most rewatched Patriots game ever. See the video below for the goosebumps!
