"What if" scenarios during the last 24 years

[Patriot Missile]

Talib did his 2nd annual tapping out of the AFCCG after getting lit up by Wes Welker. Had he and Gronk played, it still would've been tough to keep up with that Broncos offense in Denver where they had a losing record.

What if they called the blatant pi on Gronkowski by Talib in that Denver game?

What if Sean Ohara was called for strangling Seymour on the would be sack on tyree’s catch?


What if for Gronkowski’s entire career, defenders weren’t allowed to “hack a shaq” him because he was just too much a a mismatch?

 

[TheRainMaker]

What if they called the blatant pi on Gronkowski by Talib in that Denver game?

I'm guessing you're referring to the 2015 AFCCG? How about when Talib leveled Brady out of bounds?

What if Sean Ohara was called for strangling Seymour on the would be sack on tyree’s catch?

Sean O'Hara admitted he held on the play and would've rather been called for a holding penalty then let Manning get sacked in that situation. He was begging for the refs to flag him, but didn't do it. Mike Carey also said he wanted to call in the grasp, but felt Manning started to wiggle out of it in time. The entire line held on that play.

What if for Gronkowski’s entire career, defenders weren’t allowed to “hack a shaq” him because he was just too much a a mismatch?

Great comparison! I compare him to Shaq as well as defenders had to resort to dirty tactics to take him down.

 

[Patriot Missile]

What if the Patriots would of ponied up the money for Dion Branch and Willie McGinnist in 06? Do they falter against the Colts?

Dion doesnt drop that ball on the final drive and McGinnist keeps the defense focused in the 2nd half.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Teams have stuffed the run before in those situations, but the Pats were looking gassed. Don't know. Marshawn has talked about it and he mentioned that they wanted to make Wilson the hero. Another teammate mentioned the coaching staff had beef with him from an incident during the season where they where in the same situation and called a passing play, and Lynch flipped off the sideline after he heard the play.

Also, IIRC, Marshawn was like 1 for 5 from the 1 yard line that season.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

What if the Patriots would of ponied up the money for Dion Branch and Willie McGinnist in 06? Do they falter against the Colts?

Dion doesnt drop that ball on the final drive and McGinnist keeps the defense focused in the 2nd half.

They lost because of the flu wiping out the defense. I don't think McGinest would've made Eric Alexander(!) play any better.

 

[signbabybrady]

Also, IIRC, Marshawn was like 1 for 5 from the 1 yard line that season.

I believe we stopped him on 3rd 1 earlier in the game too

 

[Koma]

They lost because of the flu wiping out the defense. I don't think McGinest would've made Eric Alexander(!) play any better.

The “what if” for the 2006 AFCCG is what if Rodney Harrison isn’t injured via a cheap shot against the Titans and plays against the Colts. Indianapolis wouldn’t have been able to pick on Alexander in that case.

Of course, you could also go with what if the refs remember that face guarding isn’t a penalty and don’t hand the Colts an easy TD.

 

[Joey007]

What if “I don’t care I can’t stand it!” and Dikembe never happened? Would the second leg of the dynasty even have occurred?

What if Gymrat never made a million polls?

 

[Real fan 02]

It was actually 2012; GRONK and A.H. were, IIRC, the last drafted rookies to be extended after two years; the 2011 CBA changed the rule so it couldn't be done for three years.

You are technically correct, his contract was revised, and he inked a new 5 year deal from 2013-2018.. wich is amazing because his rookie season was 2010 I'm shocked Bill gave him a deal especially a rookie how he typically treated rookies on thier rook deals. But he was amazing man.

 

[Clonamery]

I don't care, I can't stand if.

 

[Steve102]

I like your game and it's a long off-season but my first answer to all this has to be that I am quite happy with the way everything did turn out. I can't imagine many of these what ifs leading down a better path.

Yeah, I think it's just something else to talk about that's not Bill bashing or hand wringing that they aren't building the staff the way we want.

 

[Steve102]

View attachment 56598

Wasn't my intention. There's a lot of things that's not Bill v Tom related that can be discussed, especially now that the new era has begun.

 

[Steve102]

Not as monumental as most of OP's list, but what happens in 2019 if Antonio Brown keeps his cool and Bill drafts Deebo or Metcalf or AJ Brown over N'keal Harry? Probably something good. And maybe Brady reconsiders leaving.

I don't think Bill could have drafted any of those guys. Whatever his scoring/evaluation system was, he consistently passed on those types of players. So that's a what if... what if he had a different system? I mean... it worked for 20 years.

 

[Steve102]

There a few in the opposite direction, as well.


What if in the 2000 draft at #183, Cleveland drafts TB12 rather than Spergon Wynn?

Brady ends up being a good QB for the Browns, but it never blossoms to be what it was.

What if in the Snow Bowl, Walt Coleman rules fumble rather than invoking the tuck rule?

Brady beats out Bledsoe the following year and everything is pushed back a year.

What if Adam V does not somehow make that miraculous kick in those conditions?

See above. Adam does not go to Canton.

What if **** Vermeil had not resigned after 1999, resulting in Mike Martz becoming the Rams HC?

That's a good one. Marz was highly overrated and Belichick schooled him. Vermeil had been around the block.

What if Carolina decided to go for one rather two - twice - in the 4th quarter of SB 38?

What if Andy Reid had better clock management in SB 39?

File under Donovan puking. Players play, or in this case, they don't.

What if Pete Carroll called for a run play to Marshawn Lynch?

The pats would have 5 rings.

What if Dan Quinn/Kyle Shanahan had called for more running plays rather than Matt Ryan dropbacks in the 2nd half?

Same as above. If both had happened, the Pats would have been the Bills and there'd be a lot of scoffing about this GOAT talk.

What if the Chiefs won the coin toss in the 2018 AFCCG?

Then they'd have one less. Imagine if all three happened? Carroll hands the ball to Lynch, Quinn runs the ball after the Julio catch, and the Chiefs won the coin toss. They'd be, what, three time champs and the talk would be that Brady couldn't get it done in the second half of his career.

A game of inches indeed.

 

[Steve102]

BONUS #2: What if the media demanded to know the actual unequivocal 100% truthful numbers of the balls in Deflategate?

Media. Demands. That's a good one.

 

[h0c2000]

What if Tim Tebow never found Jesus?

 

[jmt57]

Q: What if the Chiefs won the coin toss in the 2018 AFCCG?

Chefs caught on to the Pats D, but I think they could've held them to a field goal. Were the rules still in play where the other team gets the ball unless a TD is scored like the Pats did?

The most talked about situation where a team never gets possession in OT was of course the 28-3 game - Super Bowl LI - happened two years earlier. After that there was much gnashing of teeth and clutching of pearls in the national sports media and by the fan bases of 31 other teams to change the OT rules - though something tells me that would not have been the case had the roles been reversed.

After the Patriots benefitted in a second overtime game by the "1st to score a TD wins" rule, the clamor to change the OT rule grew louder - but it wasn't changed until 2022.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Wasn't my intention. There's a lot of things that's not Bill v Tom related that can be discussed, especially now that the new era has begun.

Dude I have no problem w/ it. Thats what boards are for.

 

[Real fan 02]

What if they called the blatant pi on Gronkowski by Talib in that Denver game?

What if Sean Ohara was called for strangling Seymour on the would be sack on tyree’s catch?


What if for Gronkowski’s entire career, defenders weren’t allowed to “hack a shaq” him because he was just too much a a mismatch?

I didn't know Talib played in big games!

 

[Real fan 02]

I don't think Bill could have drafted any of those guys. Whatever his scoring/evaluation system was, he consistently passed on those types of players. So that's a what if... what if he had a different system? I mean... it worked for 20 years.

Of course not, he only wanted to draft/sign guys he liked, and wanted to he around. I'm firmly convinced if AB kept his cool for at least that season we win another championship.