Globe 10.0: Most indispensable Patriot

Richard Seymour is the key to unlocking the Patriots Defence.
Mayo and Wilfork are great players but they both benifit from the amount of attention offences must give to Seymour on every play.

I see we're already sending Mayo to Canton. He can thank the front three for his big numbers last year. If he can start to get some pressure on the quarterback this year, then we can start talking about him in the same sentence as Vince Wilfork.

I would go with the wildcard and say Welker or Wilfork. The Pats have lived without the speed/deep threat and won for quite some time before they got Moss and I think they can easily adapt back.

Wilfork is the key to the Pats D and takes up blockers that need to be taken up and he still finds a way to shed off those blocks. The Broncos game comes to mind last year when Wilfork blasted the center and Clady (who had to come and help since the gard fell) Cutler threw and it resulted in a pick.

Welker because he is what makes it go. Moss can spread the field but Welker returns punts and opens up that down field due to Welker getting double teamed. Heres the thing too Welker splits those double teams alot of the time.

Moss and Welker are a bit interchanagble though since one works better inside and the other outside. Just personal opinion on who works better I guess.

There's really no wrong answer here. I went with Welker though just based on how many clutch plays he makes, how he is always on the field, and contributes on special teams. Without him, Matt Cassel looks like a high school QB and the Pats don't win as many games last year.

This isn't close. Ask 31 other head coaches and 31 defensive coordinators and 95% will tell you Moss. No WR, Rice included, has affected defensive coverage, or for that matter offensive production, like Moss. Wes is great but he would be the first to tell you that the coverage Moss receives opens things up for him. Our D lineman and Mayo are great players, but replaceable--not so Moss. Not even Fitzgearald gets the attention Moss gets. The two greatest offensive teams in history have one thing in common: Moss! Do you think Cassell wins 11 games if Moss wasn't playing? He makes things look so easy that fans take for granted what what he does and how often as a decoy he makes things happen for the other receivers and the running game.

I think last year's team proved that nobody is indispensible

Welker makes the key catches and the most first downs when they are needed. YACs and return yardage make him invaluable!

Moss-Hands down!

He opens the entire field up. He is the reason Welker has had success, Brady's numbers were inflated in 07 and the reason Cassel cashed in on a big contract.

They're all big contributors but the Pats could win without any one of them. There isn't an indispensable Patriot

I went with the man who was key to their 3 Super Bowl wins - Big Rich!

And you would be wrong Daniel... By a lot.... That team last year would have competed for the SB if Tom was on the field... They did not even make the playoffs last year witha joke of a schedule... Get a clue.

Joey De is right. So is realistic. You guys are fooling yourself to think otherwise.

Certainly, no individual by definition is "indispensable", but let's play along...
Assuming Pats maintain the base 3-4, the combination of the NT position and individual talent make Wilfork uniquely valuable.
Others here make excellent cases for Moss: a constant threat that opposing coordinators must account for on every down, especially near the goal line.

This was a tough call... really it needs separate questions for both offense and defense.

Re: Offense. I voted for Welker but the argument for Moss is convincing. Remember the "Coach disrespected him" game from last year. He was single covered and destroyed the defense (with Cassel at QB, no less). The same is true, however, of Welker. In single coverage, Welker gets the ball and his yards after catch are phenomenal. On special teams he is deadly. The only reason he does not play more on special teams is because his value is so high on offense that BB likely does not want to risk injury (and Hobbs was very good).

Re: Defense. Much more difficult here. I agree it has to be a player on the line, although two years ago the case for Asante Samuel was strong. But indispensable implies more than good. It means that the value cannot be easily replaced. Until we see how Brace turns out, then, my vote has to be for Wilfork. I'm probably selling Seymour short.

Last year we learned that the difference between Tom and Matt Cassel is about 5 games in the regular season. I think Tom is clearly the most valuable player.

However, you asked for most valuable Patriot. I think BB would prove to be more significant than even Tom. The Pats could carry on for a year or 2 based upon the system and talent in place. But Bill has been the difference between a perennial contender and just another team wishing we could win one.

KEVIN FAULK. Hands down.

The indispensable one is Belicheck.

If BB was an opposing coach, I wonder who he would key on if playing the Patriots. In the past he has focused on taking away Clark (Colts) and Witten (Cowboys) because they are the receivers that convert 3rd downs and move the chains. Using that logic, you have to go with Welker. I agree with Justin-R that you have to have a separate question for the defense. It wasn't an option, but I might go with Ty Warren here. When he is healthy he is a very distruptive player. When he is not in there, you see a dramatic drop-off IMO.

I have to say Mayo. Moss is great but Brady has won 3 Super Bowls with receivers that couldn't hold Moss's jockstrap. Mayo is all over the field on defense and it's hard to name another player on the team that could make the impact he does.

Stephen Grostkowski, are you guys kidding me? Who replaces him and does he have the same mental approach Grostkowski does. Don't forget, this guys replaced one of the best kickers to ever play the game and we all know how important field goals can be.

Wilfork,,

If a defense is not strong up the middle they are susceptible to the ground game. Late season and playoff losses would be likely.
Wasn't that a big reason for not making playoffs in 2002?

steve#19 - glad someone pointed to Gostkowski - I was tempted to for all your stated reasons.

Steve#20 - Exactly. Ted Washington was the 2003 response, followed by Wilfork and the results speak for themselves. If I recall, Seymour played NT in 2001 and SB XXXVI.

None of the Above.

Bill Belichick is the only indispensable part of this organization. When he retires this team will probably revert back to the Sullivan era Patriots. But he is only 57, so hopefully he has another 10-15 years in him.

Due to depth concerns, I'd have to say either Adalius Thomas or Jerod Mayo. The guys on the line can be replaced (albeit by lesser players). If Mayo or AD go down, there's nobody to replace them.

I'm calling #93 out. The same way I think he gets paid before Vince does.

I'm gonna go for the one not voted for. Matt Light. The blindside tackle is probably the most important lineman in the game. without adequate protection from Light, Brady can't throw to Moss, can't throw to welker, we can't establish a run game to the left. The Pats have got it done with scrub WRs before, but not without play from the line. If the offense can't score, then the defense will be forced to keep us in the game, and that only works for so long. In our record breaking offense in 07, Light was a pro bowler, if memory serves correctly.

Wilfork could be replaced by 20 guys coming out of college this year. His claim to fame. . . weighing 300 pounds and not moving from his spot, backward or forward I might add. If Kevin Faulk goes down, the Patriots success on third down goes down with him . . . Faulk is the man.

the answer is moss because of the unprecedented attention he recieves from defences. his mere presence on the field impacts the game far more than welker, even if welker was more productive statistically. (im a huge welker fan, but come on, we're talking about bleepin randy moss here!). last season you actually couldve made a strong case for faulk; without him cassel is not nearly as rich.

as for the defense im gonna go with seymour. when healthy he is the best 3-4 lineman in the game. manages to produce at an all-pro level despite facing constant double teams. people seem to have forgotten about him due to a few injuries, but he was as good as ever last year.