Are the Patriots (finally) dead?

[bmorepunk]

Haven't we learned to not count out the Patriots? Until I see someone beat them in the playoffs, I'll believe they are done and/or dead. That D is legit....

Counting them out is dumb with that defense. That's when they've been able to win Super Bowls; when the defense was really good to great that year.

But it's going to be a lot harder if their offense continues to struggle; Brady doesn't have a likely chance to hero ball them out of a deficit in the 4th quarter with that line and receiver situation (and his own increasing limitations due to age).

It's good because the AFC is competitive enough that we don't have to have one of those years where it seems like the Patriots are just going to walk into the Super Bowl. It's better to have competition across the league, it's more fun to watch.

 

[bmorepunk]

No matter...the Pats had a dynasty for 18 years...who else has that ?

Fortunately even in their dominance they haven't been that dominant. It's funny to say, but they only managed to win 1/3rd of the Super Bowls in those seasons. If they had won 2/3rd or closer to all of them, just ugh.

They went nearly a decade without winning a Super Bowl and have lost three of their last six. I can only imagine how insufferably annoying Patriots fans would be compared to how they are now if they had.

 

[NINEster]

No matter...the Pats had a dynasty for 18 years...who else has that ?

49ers from 1981-1998 had that.

Only just now did the Patriots break the record for 10+ wins in the regular season.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

No matter...the Pats had a dynasty for 18 years...who else has that ?

Fortunately even in their dominance they haven't been that dominant. It's funny to say, but they only managed to win 1/3rd of the Super Bowls in those seasons. If they had won 2/3rd or closer to all of them, just ugh.

They went nearly a decade without winning a Super Bowl and have lost three of their last six. I can only imagine how insufferably annoying Patriots fans would be compared to how they are now if they had.

60s Packers, 5 championships in 7 years (and 6 championship game appearances in 8 years because they lost the first one in 1960).
People can talk about different eras and all that but to dominate like that.....well, there's a reason it's called the Lombardi trophy.
My opinion of course

 

[HawkRiderFan]

Lots of "well if they didn't have to waste a challenge on that fumble, they could have challenged the TD / non-TD talk". Noone questioning Billichick for that awful challenge trying to get Kelce called for OPI. He doesn't do that they would have had another challenge. I guess when most of your career you don't make mistakes like that you get a free pass.

Officiating mistakes in the long run usually even out. It was pretty recent that the Pats benefited from those 2 phantom "tripping" calls vs Dallas.

 

[GeekHawk]

Given their offensive personnel issues, I'm sure he's a little pissed about all the money he left on the table for them to get better players and having to deal with what he has at this point.

You sure he's left any money on the table? I'm sure they found a way to pay him 'off the books'. This *is* the cheatriots we're talking about, after all!