1) Anyone who thinks that the 2007 season was part of long spiral downward is an idiot. We we were one crazy play away from being one the consensus top three or four teams of all time.
2) Anyone who whines and moans about being 11-5 without Brady in 2008 is a moron and/or a mediot.
and finally,
3) Anyone who considers a division winning season an aweful result of a long decline in the making shouldn't be paid for writing sports columns or should be a beat writer for a paper in Detroit instead of New England.
just my 2 vents and 2 cents
How you can argue that HORRIBLE FA pickups like Thomas,Burgess,Galloway,Beisel,Brown,Starks,Caldwell ect: and the loss of some top players and BAD drafts in the past 2-4 years is not a reason for a decline? - you would have to be an idiot to think otherwise.
Belichick has been caught looking too far ahead the past few years throwing away potential game changing 1st rounders so he could stockpile for the next year or two - Why do this when a man named Tom Brady is heading into his mid to late 30s by the time those drafts picks develop?..IF they develop that is.
Lets face it Belichick may be a great coach and one of the best of all time but since 2006 and off the field and when he heads into the F.O. he has been far from being a good decision maker in terms of adding additions to his team (only the Moss and Welker deal would stand out). - Bad decisions or decisions that don't turn out well are why dynasties and dominance fall,it happens every decade since the NFL was born and the Patriots are almost sure to be another.
The 70s Steelers were very mediocre for most of the 80s
The 80s 49ers were mediocre for a good portion of the 90s
The 90s Cowboys were horrid for most of the 2000s
Why you think suddenly the Pats will not go into decline is of pure hope that Brady and Belichick are all that we really need....it could happen but history says we fall where the others have fallen...its only natural that you can't keep competitive and super bowl caliber teams forever and you have to grow up and realize this.
Does this mean the 2010 Patriots will be challenging for the 2011 #1 draft pick?..certainly not but I also don't expect them to be plowing through the schedule with reckless abandon either.
To sum it all up Belichick has been one helluva coach for the New England Patriots..a wheeler and dealer in the F.O. not so much..... People don't realize what a loss a talented scout like Dimitroff was who made far great suggestive college player choices than bad ones when he was here....The loss of Pioli is already hurting IMO
To think this team can make enough deals to become one of the elite teams on an NFL field again and in less than 8 months from now is purely hoping for miracles in such short of time. - IMO unless that happens and the team has a sudden fantastic offseason then my guess at this time is that the 2010 Patriots are a 8-8 to a 10-6 team heading into the fall..its a long offseason so we shall see.