Back to the OP, some comments (I've edited original to the points I want to address). I find it amusing that in the examples you used:
- The Patriots "had swagger" in 2007 and lost the Super Bowl. The team lost the Super Bowl in 2011, too, but apparently without the swagger.
- The Patriots "had swagger" in 2006 when they beat the Chargers in the example you continually bring up. They lost in the AFC Championship Game on the road to the Fivehead. The 2013 Patriots lost in the 2013 AFC Championship Game on the road to the Fivehead, too, but apparently without the swagger.
Yet you're saying we used to win Super Bowls? The examples you're using are from the times the team *didn't* win Super Bowls.
In fact, I was embarrassed after the 2006 game against San Diego -- it was a complete deviation of how the team has behaved *on the field* during the entire era. The team would trash talk during the game, and trash talk in the media after the game, but never do a public display on the field (touchdown dances don't count) and never trash talk in the media before hand. I remember having to defend the Pats in 2006 to a Bears fan who had always admired the Pats behavior during the dynasty, and couldn't believe what he saw after the game.
The teams have generally behaved consistently the entire time:
- The Pats ripped apart Indy in the media after the 2004 Divisional Round game in a year they won the Super Bowl
- The "Fred Ex" comments from Belichick came after they won the 2004 Super Bowl
- The Pats completely tore apart Houston in the media after the 2012 regular season victory in a year they lost the AFC Championship Game.
- All of Tom Brady's on-field antics and trash talking the last few years, including him trash talking Richard Sherman in a game they lost in 2012.
I think you're misinterpreting the issue. The fact is, this team has consistently had the swagger over the BB era. Swagger isn't what changed in the team. The hard-hitting defense is what changed. Rodney, Bruschi, and those guys would physically punish players on the field. After they retired, we've had a bunch of talented players who happened to not be intimidators (Mayo, McCourty). The few players that have been hard-hitters on the defense were morons who wound up having to have their roles marginalized because they couldn't get it (Meriwether, Spikes).
I for one have missed that hard-hitting defense, and really hope that Revis/Browner can bring that back. Those guys combined with Mayo and McCourty may just be the perfect recipe. Can't wait to see them in action, and hope that injuries won't prevent that from happening.
