The Patriots Have Stocked Their Offense With Specific Playmakers

The NFL has changed over the 17 years since their dynasty began, but these archetypes haven't.

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Tom Brady of the New England Patriots throws during the second quarter of a game against the Los Angeles Chargers. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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The past 17 years have seen the New England Patriots gain absurd, unrivaled consistency and success. The team has led the league in scoring three times, finished in the top-5 in points 10 times and ranked in the top-10 in that category in all but one year. Year-to-year, the team has a virtually unheard of reliability and the Patriots owe much of that success to their future Hall of Fame pillars, quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick. Over the nearly two decades that the Pats have been building their dynasty, offensive coordinators have come and gone, and dozen of players have cycled through the system. But a few important offensive roles have remained constant along the way, and the Pats have been able to just plug new guys into the system every season. Some of those archetypes include the big play threat on the outside, the power back, the pass-catching back, the uber-quick slot receiver, and the mismatch-making tight end.

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