Category: New England Patriots

by Matt Wells

OK, so we’ve completed 9 weeks of the 2007 NFL season.  After the dust settled following the big New England/Indy game, we have the Patriots remaining undefeated and looking as calm as can be in the clutch.  The Colts shouldn’t feel bad; 7-1 is nothing to cry about.  Then…we have the rest.  I’m not going to sit here and hand the Lombardi Trophy over to the Pats just yet.  The Colts still have a legitimate shot, too.

But, who are we kidding?  There’s no team in the NFC that holds a candle to either of the AFC powerhouses.  That New England/Dallas game a few weeks back was supposed to be close.  Too bad nobody told the Patriots.  The Cowboys, Giants, Packers, Saints, and the rest of the NFC elite can’t beat the Patriots or Colts.

It’s great to be a Boston sports fan right now. It’s kick-you-in-the-pants, kiss-the-homecoming-queen, twiril-a-baton-in-one-hand-drink-a-beer-with-the-other greatness.

Two things, though, are not so peachy in New England.

Roger Goodell sent a message Thursday: if you get in trouble off the field, pray that the New York Post isn’t delivered to NFL offices; if you are caught cheating during a game, eh, no biggie.

Allegations arose Monday that the New England Patriots, winners of three of the last six Super Bowls, had been caught videotaping New York Jets’ defensive signals during the Patriots’ 38-14 win Sunday afternoon. After confiscating the tapes and issuing a private investigation, Goodell confirmed that the allegations were true.

by Matt Wells

They defeated the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002, the Carolina Panthers in the Super Bowl two years later, and they followed that with another win over the Philadelphia Eagles the following year.  Four years.  Three championships.  One coach.  One quarterback.  Oh, and a kicker that was really good in the clutch.

They almost did it again last season.  They were four points away from beating the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game, a game which almost all of America figured would be won by the Patriots because Tom Brady never, ever screws up with the game on the line.  Well, we all make mistakes.

The Patriots dynasty has lost a little of its luster, since the Pats haven’t won the Super Bowl (let alone made it there) in the past two seasons.  However, if you’re waiting for the New England Patriots dynasty to fizzle out, you may be waiting for a few years.

The New England Patriots have had a great run.  Nobody can deny that they have been one of the greatest teams of all time.  While they certainly haven’t been as talented as teams like the Broncos, Cowboys, 49ers, or Steelers of their time, they’ve had intangibles that no other team had.  Bill Belicheck is the greatest coach of his era and ranks right up there with legends like Vince Lombardi and Bill Walsh.  The image of him standing on the sidelines in his Patriots hooded sweatshirt will likely be what people will think of.  They also have a man by the name of Tom Brady.  Tom Brady has won 3 Super Bowls at age 28.  He could retire right now and easily go to the Hall of Fame.  New England is broken right now, but the dynasty has not been destroyed.

As we head into the NFL’s second season the questions are formulated.  Is this the year for the Colts, can Jake Plumber finally lead win a big game and so on.  What we are missing however, is that there is one team that has left no question unanswered.  The New England Patriots.  They have proven leaders on and off the field in Tom Brady and Bill Belicheck who have dominated the game for nearly half a decade.  When their supposed to win they win, when their supposed to lose they win, this team is unshakeable.  Yeah Manning has the records, and the colts are having their best season ever, but they are not winners.