Bill Belichick and the Patriots Making a Run at History
As the 2009 season approaches and pundits start declaring their super bowl winners, MVP winners, and more, let’s take a step back and appreciate what the New England Patriots have accomplished thus far this 2000′s decade. It’s been awfully impressive folks. Under the extraordinary head coach/QB tandem of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, the Patriots have become the “model” franchise for the entire NFL.
Since the 2001 season when Tom Brady was inserted into the lineup to replace an injured Drew Bledsoe, the Patriots have gone on to post an impressive 97-29 .769 regular season record, 14-3 .824 playoff record, 6 AFC East Division Titles, 4 Super Bowl appearances, and 3 Super Bowl wins. The Patriots became just the 2nd NFL team to win 3 Super Bowls in a 4 year span(2001, 2003, 2004) and set the NFL’s all-time winning streak record by winning 21 games in a row to end the 2003 season(15 wins in a row to end season) and to start the 2004 season(6 wins in a row). Let’s also not forget the PERFECT 16-0 regular season in 2008, which no other NFL team has done over a 16 game schedule.
While all of those stats and accomplishments tell us a lot about the standard of excellence that the New England Patriots have displayed throughout this decade, it still does not tell the whole story. Simple stats can not define what head coach Bill Belichick brings to the Patriots. Belichick, love him or hate him, is simply the BEST head coach in the NFL since Vince Lombardi. Go ahead and point to his Cleveland Browns record if you must, but don’t let those records fool you into thinking this man is anything other than a bonafide walking NFL genius.
The Patriots enter the 2009 and final season of this decade looking to tie the 70′s Steelers and 80′s 49ers as the only franchises to win 4 super bowls in one decade. A Super Bowl win this season would also give Tom Brady and Bill Belichick their 4th Super Bowl win each and tie them atop the all-time lists for quarterbacks and head coaches with the most Super Bowl wins. A record-tying 4th Super Bowl win this decade could also give Patriots fans the right to claim their decade run of excellence as the best run in NFL history. New England is 102-40 .718 this decade(including playoffs) and that is better than the San Francisco 49ers of the 80′s, who were 117-51-1 .695(including playoffs). The 49ers were a perfect 4-0 in Super Bowls in the 1980′s, however, while the Patriots would be 4-1 if they win another Lombardi trophy this season.
No matter what your position is on New England and what their historical place will be on the all-time NFL Dynasties ladder, you have to be honest and admit that what they have accomplished this decade is something truly special and something that all NFL fans should admire. Keep in mind that we now live in the salary cap era of the NFL, which makes it even harder for the great teams to stay on top because their players are always getting cherry picked away in free agency.
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September 1st, 2009
agree 100%. also , don’t forget his role in 2 of the NY GIANTS super bowl wins. the man is not the most personable guy, but who cares. i would put him right along walsh and parcells. possibly above them. he is a football genius.
September 1st, 2009
It’s easy to win when you cheat, no? How many super bowls would Belichick and Brady have if they didn’t videotape the signals? They are good but not that good. Overrated. The Steelers are the team of this decade.
September 2nd, 2009
The Steelers would have beaten the Patriots if it weren’t for the camera. Plus, the Pats lucke dout big time in 2001 with the “tuck rule” when they should have lost to Oakland before they even played the Steelers. The Pats have gotten away with a lot this decade. I’m not hating because the Pats are the team I fear most, but I would put Steelers #1, Pats #2, Colts #3 this decade. If it wasn’t for the “tuck rule” it would be Steelers 2 Pats 2 at worst.
September 2nd, 2009
Willy,
Please, you’re embarrassing yourself…. Do you mean the camera allowed the Pats to block a fg and return it for a TD in the 2001 AFC game? …and made Troy Polamalu bite on an in route in the 2nd AFC title game? I’ll give you they got lucky on the tuck rule, but when they got the break, they did something about it and then won that game, the next game, and the superbowl too. Lots of teams get breaks (like the immaculate reception) its what they do when they get them.
September 2nd, 2009
Why did Goodell destroy all the tapes if it wasn’t that bad what they did? Obviously they did more than just taking signals. Anyway, don’t compare a lucky play to a lucky call. Two different things. Lucky plays are part of the game. Bogus calls should not be.
September 2nd, 2009
Well if it was such a bogus call, why hasn’t that rule been changed? Hey I think the rule stinks, but it wasnt like it was was a blown call, they interpreted the existing rule correctly like it or not. All i know is when my team gets beat, I don’t make excuses for them…. All’s fair in love and war….period.
September 2nd, 2009
Willy,
the Steelers are the team of this decade? At last count its NE 3 and Pittsburgh 2 in this decade. Plus, it’s NE 2-Pitt-0 in the AFC title games… nice try though…
October 13th, 2009
But the Steelers didn’t tape the opponent’s signals.