By Ron Borges

The Boston Herald’s all-time greatest Patriot on-line poll continues and it is down to 32 players after the first round of eliminations. Most of the results have thus far been predictable and, as I look at my bracket, the only way it doesn’t come out as Tom Brady vs. Andre Tippett in the final is if enough nitwits with computers and no sense that the game was ever played prior to the year 2000 takes Tippett out in favor of, say, Richard Seymour, who is also in his bracket (and up against top tackle Bruce Armstrong this round).

One interesting match up this week is the one between Drew Bledsoe and Ted Johnson. As beloved as Johnson is, there’s no question Bledsoe meant more to the organization and, at his best, was the superior player at his position. The historical fact is if Bledsoe had not come along when he did, the Patriots would have won all these Super Bowl championships elsewhere, probably in St. Louis, which is an irony in itself since it all started against the Rams. I would expect Seymour to beat out Armstrong this week, making for a Seymour vs. Bledsoe showdown in the next round, by the way.

If, as I expect, it comes down to Brady vs. Tippett (after a Tippett vs. Seymour quarter final and Tippett vs. Ty Law semi-final, it will make for a thought provoking argument. For Tippett to make it that far I would expect he’ll have to nose out two of the best defensive players of the Super Bowl winning era in Law and Seymour (unless, of course, the fans show that loyalty pays off more than production and they take Tedy Bruschi over Law in what I expect to be another interesting quarterfinal bracket match up).

The fact is Tippett was a Hall-of-Fame quality linebacker (member of the 1980 All-Decade team and a finalist for the Hall a year ago) who should become the team’s second player to reach Canton if there’s any justice. On a team with only one true Hall of Famer (meaning one who played his best years here) in John Hannah, Tippett’s resume should get him into a showdown with Brady.

Brady, too, is headed for Canton five years after his retirement even if he retired this morning so what it will come down to when fans look to name what the Herald is calling “The Greatest Patriots Player of All-Time’’ are two things – offense vs. defense and the moment vs. 20 years ago.

In the end we all know it’s going to be Tom Brady and, outside of Tippett’s friends and immediate family, who could argue with that? No one but those people who believe, and so often say, that defense wins championships. If they buy into that it could make for a closer vote than expected.

To vote go to bostonherald.com but no stuffing the internet ballot box.