My favorite team, the three-time Super Bowl Champions.
Led by cerebral coach Bill Belichick and Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, the New England Patriots have achieved an unprecendented level of excellence, winning three Super Bowl titles and shattering numerous NFL records. As a tribute to the New England Patriots, I have decided to chronicle the incredible journey that the team has allowed me to take over the past several years as one of their fans.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS BUNKER ARCHIVES
New England Patriots 2010 Archive
It's a new decade. Out with the old. In with the new. As the Patriots seek to reclaim their position as one of the NFL's elite, they will do so with a new generation of players. Battle tested stars like Brady, Moss, and Welker will still lead the offense, but the defense has been overhauled with players just cutting their teeth in the NFL. There's bound to be some growing pains, as well as some offensive fireworks as the team sets its eyes on the 2010 playoffs.
When
the game gave the New England Patriots every reason to quit, the
Patriots kept on playing. Now with Tom Brady back at the helm, Patriots
fans were expecting the team to do a lot more than just play.
Unfortunately, internal drama in the locker room sidelined the Patriots'
season, and when Wes Welker suffered a year-ending injury, things
completely unraveled in an embarrassing home playoff loss against
Baltimore.
Despite losing their MVP, Tom Brady, the Patriots proved more
hungry and determined than ever before. The high-flying,
record-breaking
performance of the previous year certainly would not be matched, but
the team displayed a true grit and and refused to make excuses and take
the easy way out. The Patriots once again looked
like Super Bowl contenders. Unfortunately the rules and math were not
on their side as they ended 2008 as the best team in NFL histroy to
never make the playoffs.
After
suffering
the most painful loss imaginable to end the 2006 season, the
Patriots armed themselves with what may be the most impressive roster
in NFL history. The New England Patriots 2007 season was defined by pure
domination, as the Patriots shattered nearly every offensive record on
the books. They became the first team in history to finish the regular
season 16-0 and stretched that undefeated run all the way to eighteen
games before suffering the upset of the century in the Super Bowl.
With their dynasty lying in ruins, the Patriots banded together and overcame the odds once again. A slew of off-season departures had left the Patriots' roster with many gaping holes. Thanks to the leadership of Bill Belichick, the Patriots earned a heated playoff battle with their division rival New York Jets. They then went on to San Diego where Tom Brady pulled off yet another one of his patented comebacks. The season ended in Indianapolis, where the hated Colts finally defeated the Patriots.
Coming off their third Super Bowl Title in four years, the only question left to answer was if the New England Patriots would be able to claim a record-breaking fourth. However, an early-season injury to safety Rodney Harrison, put those plans in jeopardy. Despite several courageous performances by Tom Brady and the return of Tedy Bruschi, the Patriots fell short of the goal.
Was becoming a Dynasty the New England Patriots Destiny? Judging by the way Bill Belichick's team steamrolled the competition, the answer had to be "yes". With new running back Corey Dillon on board, Tom Brady lead the Patriots to a Super Bowl victory over the Phildadelphia Eagles, another 17-2 record,and an NFL-record 21 game winning streak.
For an entire year, all the New England Patriots heard was that their first Super Bowl title was a fluke. As the 2003 season began, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi, and the rest of the New England Patriots were dead-set on proving everybody wrong. Although the team struggled to a 2-2 start, they would not lose the rest of the season. And in the end, history was recreated as Adam Vinatieri kicked another Super Bowl winning field goal to defeat the Carolina Panthers.
Coming off of their amazing upset of the St. Louis Rams, the New England Patriots had a lot to prove. Everyone was calling Tom Brady and the Patriots a fluke. Despite great coaching by Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots struggled to cope with the pressures of being the world champions, and ultimately failed to make the playoffs. But that didn't mean Adam Vinatieri couldn't recreate some Super Bowl magic in the season finale...
