Perfect!
Well, this year's New England Patriots made NFL history tonight.
Following their wild, season-ending 38-35 win over the New York Giants, the Patriots finished the regular season 16-0, joining the 1934 Chicago Bears, the 1942 Chicago Bears, and the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only NFL teams to complete an unbeaten, untied regular season.
Now regardless of whatever one might think of the Patriots as a team, it is surely indisputable that going through a regular NFL season without tasting defeat even once is a magnificent, difficult, and incredible feat. Too much can happen over the course of 16 games to cause even a truly great team to lose, at least once. The Patriots jumped through all those hoops on each occasion, even in their relatively weak performances doing whatever it took fo them to win.
The fact that they scored a record 588 points in those 16 games certainly didn't hurt them any. Nor did having a quarterback like Tom Brady, who now holds the NFL record for the most touchdown passes thrown in a season...or a receiver like Randy Moss, who now holds a record for touchdown receptions in a season.
The Patriots weren't just about those two players. Their defense ranked among the league's best all season, finishing right behind Tampa Bay for the fewest points allowed this year. And by causing 15 more turnovers than they made, they created numerous chances to gain advantages in their games, which they obviously took advantage of all season.
And say what you will about their controversial head coach, Bill Belichick. He had them prepared to win every game they played...not just physically, but the team had the ideal mental attitude all season. This is a credit not only to Belichick and his staff, but to the players themselves, for their maturity and character.
So what can the Patriots do for an encore?
Well, those 1934 and 1942 Bears teams WERE unveaten during the season, but both lost in their league championship games...this is why we don't talk much about them today, keeping in mind we seldom talk about ANY teams from that long ago anyway.
Those 1972 Dolphins were another story. They finished their season 14-0, despite not having anywhere near the awesome statistical achievements of this year's Patriots. Then they went out and beat teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Redskins on route to the Super Bowl championship that year...a perfect 17-0.
Now I was already a devout football fan by then...and I saw the Dolphins win those games. And I never thought of them as a great football team...a good one, undoubtedly. But the only great thing they did was win every game.
But isn't that the bottom line? How do you improve on that? Every time I see the so-called football experts debate on who was the best football team ever, they'll talk of many great teams...the Steelers of the 1970s, the 49ers of the 1980s, and even the Green Bay Packers of the 1960s(my snetimental favorites).
But you know what? As great as all those teams were, and they WERE great....none of them went through a season unbeaten. None.
And how do you do better than perfect? You don't.
So even I must concede that the 1972 Miami Dolphins were a GREAT team...no one ever beat them. And no one ever will, either.
And you know what else? For all the hot air about this 2007 Patriots team being possibly the greatest team of all time(and they may well end up being one of them)...they can't be greater than those Dolphins. All they can do is equal their success.
And that is far from a sure thing. There are good teams still remaining in these upcoming playoffs that the Patriots must beat in order to equal the achievements of those Dolphins. And I'm not saying they won't...but any team so dependent on their passing attack as the Patriots are can still break down in bad weather. I know...the Super Bowl will not likely be played in bad weather, but the AFC Championship may well be...inasmuch as it will be in New England.
We'll just have to see what happens.
And then again, one of those other teams may still rise up and slay the mighty Patriots...it IS possible. So, before we anoint them the greatest ever, let's just wait and see what they do in the second season, OK?
And they'll certainly be deserving of praise if they remain perfect and win this year's Super Bowl.
But remember, the 1972 Dolphins did it, too...so the Patriots can't claim to have surpassed those Dolphins. But simply matching their achievement is an incredible feat, and they will deserve full credit for that.
Posted on Dec 30, 2007 - 01:03 AM | [0]
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