Yes I'll admit it, the 2007 New England Patriots season has to qualify as the most disappointing in team history. Back when the Pats stunk you couldn't really be disappointed, you had to expect them to end the season with a loss. I don't think the loss to the Green Bay Packers in 1996 was more than a blip on my Boston Sports Misery Index. We were just happy to not get blown out like we did against the Chicago Bears ten years earlier. But after three Super Bowls your expectations change. Especially when you're playing a team that you've already beaten in the regular season. So yes, this 2007 season goes down as a disappointment in terms of the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl. But what positives can we take as we start to pick up the pieces and refocus on 2008?
Well first of all it's safe to say that the debate about who's better - Brady or Peyton - can be put to rest ,for now. (Perhaps we should now debate who the better Manning is, but I digress). Brady rewrote the record books this season putting up astronomical stats, something that he was never known to do. I have to say that this season makes the Patriots past Super Bowl wins look a little bit more impressive when you consider the offenses that we did it with. Of course the Pats defense was better back then. Younger, faster, hungrier and not over-confident... I'm looking at you Richard Seymour. That was the difference between two more Super Bowls most likely.
When we look back at the Patriots dynasty they've already been to 4 Super Bowls and 5 AFC Championship games in 7 seasons. As fans we've gotten to watch more huge football games than anyone else and for that we are lucky. We didn't always come out on top but we made it there and the dominance of the Patriots organization this decade is undeniable.
On a personal note the late summer and fall/winter of 2007 was an extremely difficult time for me and I attribute the fun I had watching the Patriots this year for getting me through it. There were some great wins, most notably against the Indianapolis Colts and the Dallas Cowboys, as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers (a game that I was lucky enough to attend). There were some of the most amazing touchdowns I've seen in all my football watching days. I am completely in awe of Randy Moss' talent as a wide receiver and I really hope he resigns with the Pats.
Ultimately only the New York Giants fans are happy today. The rest of us are wallowing in what could've been. This season changed how I will view the regular season next year. Part of me wishes the Pats had lost to the Baltimore Ravens like they probably should've. In the end all the talk of undefeated seasons became a heavy burden to bear. Next year if and when the Pats lose a game I'll be reminded of this season and that perhaps you really do need to lose a couple games to see what you're really made of. As of next Monday we'll all be back at the bottom of the mountain, it looks like a long climb to get back to where we just were but knowing the talent that the Patriots have I'm sure it will be another season filled with incredible football. Three weeks till Free Agency begins...
