True Patriot Domination

As the time ticked down in the AFC Championship, one theory that has been making the rounds in the sports world over the past two years was proved:  

The New England Patriots are better than everyone else.Oooooh….that hurts.  Being a Bronco fan makes that statement especially painful.  For years, the Patriots were the laughingstock of the NFL.  For the past four years, the Patriots have been laughing at the rest of the NFL.  And no one believes it.

Maybe the rest of the country will finally realize what should have been plain for everyone to see.  They scheme better, they defend better, they run better, they pass better, they play better than everyone in the NFL.  And, after the 41-31 drubbing they put on previously 16-1 Pittsburgh, no one is really even close.

Rest assured, I am thoroughly displeased that I must come to this realization.  For the better part of four years, since their first Super Bowl victory, I, much like the rest of the country, have abstained from anointed the Pats with the “Best Team in the NFL” crown.  

It seemed like there was always someone else.  Tampa was always on the verge, then the Raiders, and, of course, there was Philly, and don’t forget the Rams, or the Steelers, or the Packers, they’re always good, right?  This year it was, again, the Eagles, having added Terrell Owens, and the Chargers’ rebirth, and the Steelers’ undefeated run behind rookie sensation Ben Roethlisberger.

Never mind the Pats, who had added 1500 yards to their backfield in the form of one Corey Dillon.  Ignore the fact that their offensive core has stayed together for the better part of four years.  Resist picking New England, they have a wide reciever, a rookie, and an undrafted free agent playing in their secondary.  Their linebacker plays tight end.  Their defensive end plays fullback.  They’re a gimmick.  And if all that fails, just plain ignore them.  

And yet, while everyone focuses on T.O’s broken leg, a resurgent Drew Brees, Chad Pennington’s media relationship, or Randy Moss’ backside, the Pats keep winning.  They quietly go about their business, systematically matriculating the ball up and down the field while simultaneously beating the heart and sucking the will out of their opponents.  

I, for one, think it’s time for this to stop.  They have now, in order, finished the regular season 14-2, held the most prolific offense in NFL HISTORY to three points, beat a 16-1 team on the road, in a championship game, and will soon add a second consecutive Super Bowl Championship to go on their mantle, right next to the trophy from 2002.  

That’s good.  Enough said.