Like Bill Belichick's system, Patriots' legacy ends up far from perfect

[Trainspotter]

Like Bill Belichick's system, Patriots' legacy ends up far from perfect

PHOENIX - The whole concept of perfection took on a life of its own during the Patriots' unblemished run through the regular season. Week after week, New England kept winning and it inevitably led to Super Bowl XLII.

 

No one dared look beyond the zero on the right side of the column in the Patriots' record for fear of being cast as a heretic.

 

The veneer of perfection hid the Patriots' flaws. The Giants exposed a few of them in the regular-season finale, but the Patriots won. The Chargers exposed a few more in the AFC Championship Game, but the Patriots prevailed, extending their season-long winning streak. Those cracks became a break at the most pressure-packed point of the season - the Super Bowl.

 

Full story: - February 5, 2008

[Harry]

Good article. I read this in the paper this morning on the train.

[NewJerseyT]

It was a good article,however I do not agree with somethings,for example "The measure of greatness in the NFL is not based on wins and losses, but on dominance over a long period of time, with Hall of Famers manning the key positions"

Because of the fact that they've been in 4 of the 7 last superbowls and almost 5 if they didn't lose to Indy.Although they weren't consecutive wins,but they certainly did dominate over a rater lengthy amount of time,even all the way up till now they still dominate all though they did not win the superbowl because they decided not to show up,they still set a record of sorts,seeing as the went longer undefeated then the Miami Dolphins because there are more games in a regular season then there was back then.

And they have broken many many records,but do they get noticed nope not at all.

[Harry]

It was a good article,however I do not agree with somethings,for example "The measure of greatness in the NFL is not based on wins and losses, but on dominance over a long period of time, with Hall of Famers manning the key positions"

Because of the fact that they've been in 4 of the 7 last superbowls and almost 5 if they didn't lose to Indy.Although they weren't consecutive wins,but they certainly did dominate over a rater lengthy amount of time,even all the way up till now they still dominate all though they did not win the superbowl because they decided not to show up,they still set a record of sorts,seeing as the went longer undefeated then the Miami Dolphins because there are more games in a regular season then there was back then.

And they have broken many many records,but do they get noticed nope not at all.

 

Did you even read page 2. If you didn't here it is posted here:

Those Steelers teams and those old Packers teams were loaded with Hall of Famers players at quarterback, running back, receiver, left tackle, defensive end and linebacker. Even some of the modern-era teams that won three Super Bowls, such as San Francisco and Washington, had multiple Hall of Famers. That is what made them great.

 

How many future Hall of Fame players, homegrown through the Patriots' system, are there on any of New England's Super Bowl championship teams? I can think of only one - quarterback Tom Brady.

 

The Patriots don't have a dominant offensive or defensive scheme, which usually spring forth because a coach is looking for a novel way to utilize those Hall of Fame players. There is no Power Sweep. There is no West Coast offense. There is no Steel Curtain. Just a man behind a curtain, Belichick, cooking up schemes to befuddle his opponents.

 

The Patriots have a system, born from free agency, which operates like a machine. You lose a linebacker, you find another one with the same traits and you plug him in. You lose a receiver, and you replace him. Out goes Willie McGinest. In goes Junior Seau. Out goes Deion Branch. In goes Randy Moss.

 

Yes, the Patriots had their hearts broken with the loss to the Giants on Sunday night. But they were not ripped out. The Pats are a resilient team that will feed off that unfulfilled feeling of going 18-1. They will have to revamp the offensive line, maybe add some depth.

 

They will have to upgrade the linebackers, as age definitely caught up to Seau and Tedy Bruschi. And who knows what happens with Moss, who had a resurgent regular season (a record 23 TD receptions) but disappeared in the postseason.

 

Perfection again? Forget about it. Dynasty? Not now. But the Patriots will be a very good team as long as players buy into Belichick's system.

 

And he demands perfection.

[NewJerseyT]

I did read it,it still doesn't make a difference in what I said.

[Pablo M 201]

Good article. I read this in the paper this morning on the train.

The way things are said is why I read that paper.

 

But its absolutely true on what its saying.