New England Patriots top 10 plays of the 2016 Super Bowl LI season
The 2016 New England Patriots season was one that us fans will never forget. Let’s look back at the top 10 plays of the year!
The New England Patriots incredible season was capped with a Super Bowl LI victory, the fifth for Tom Brady and the franchise.
It will go down as one of the best seasons in New England history and there were hundreds of plays made over the course of the year, but these 10 stand out.
Whether it’s due to momentum and the timing of a play, or the sheer skill displayed, these are my pick for the top 10 plays of the New England Patriots 2016 season.
10. LeGarrette Blount turns 4th-and-1 into a 43-yard touchdown
Former Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount gets us started with this play from Week 12 against the Los Angeles Rams. The Patriots needed one yard for a first down, but Blount was able to bounce outside, make the safety miss, and take the ball into the end zone for a 43-yard score.
New England will miss Blount, who has signed with the Eagles, but the team has quite the running back group heading into 2017 with Dion Lewis, Rex Burkhead, Mike Gillislee and James White.
9. Brady’s crazy scramble
Most Patriots fans would prefer to see Tom Brady stay in the pocket and not have to scramble, but when the pocket collapsed around him, he was able to step up, scramble, and give his receivers more time to get open.
In this Week 15 matchup, Julian Edelman was able to get open for his QB for a first down.
8. LeGarrette Blount hurdles a Dolphin
LB makes his second appearance on this list with a Week 2 hurdle over the Dolphins. At 250lbs many people are amazed at how quick and athletic Blount is. It seems to catch some teams by surprise. Let’s hope we see some of this out of the 2017 running backs.
7. Dion Lewis takes it to the house
The New England Patriots made it through the entire regular season without a return touchdown. That changed for the year when Dion Lewis broke loose for a touchdown during the first quarter of the AFC Divisional Game against the Houston Texans.
Lewis also had a rushing and receiving TD in the game.
6. Shea McClellin’s leap and block
Guess what? This is banned now by the NFL so you won’t see it again! Shea McClellin is the last player to ever successfully leap over the line to block a kick. He did it in 2016 against the visiting Baltimore Ravens.
5. LeGarrette Blount carries the Steelers into the end zone
Blount displayed his strength on this play as he fought his way into the end zone, with seemingly every Pittsburgh Steelers defender on him.
4. Michael Floyd’s big block springs Julian Edelman
Michael Floyd didn’t play much for the Patriots, but this play got him noticed. Floyd came out of nowhere to take down a Miami defender, allowing Julian Edelman to go the distance.
3. Tom Brady, Dion Lewis, and Chris Hogan flea flicker in the AFC Championship Game
Each of the top 3 plays is from the playoffs, and that should be no surprise. In the AFC Championship Game against the Steelers Tom Brady, Dion Lewis, and Chris Hogan perfectly executed the classic flea flicker. Each man did their part to make sure this play went as smoothly as possible.
2. Dont’a Hightower’s game-changing strip sack
In 2014 Dont’a Hightower is the one that tackled Marshawn Lynch short of the end zone in Super Bowl XLIX. Trying to one up himself, Hightower made another incredible game-changing play in Super Bowl LI. This strip sack meant the Patriots, and all of New England’s hopes were still alive.
1. Julian Edelman’s unbelievable catch in Super Bowl LI
Did you expect any other play in the top spot? These are the types of catches that usually go against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Not this time. How Edelman caught this ball we’ll never know. It still blows my mind.
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