08 season really putting Pats 07 accomplishments in perspective

[BradyManny]

I'm not quite ready to look back on 2007 with the fondness that I know one day I will hold towards it. February 3rd is still too close. Thinking of the traumatic manner in which we lost the Super Bowl still triggers anger & sadness in me at any given moment my mind wanders to that game. That said, I think what we've seen right now from all the NFL teams thus far really puts last season in perspective. Just looking at the league so far and how much parity there is - I think it does make the 16-0 achievement look more special.

The Super Bowl champions, the best team in the league, just got crushed by the Browns.

The Patriots did not have a letdown game for the entire regular season - its unheralded in this era.

I'm convinced now that they may truly have lost to the better team in the Super Bowl, but 16-0 is certainly #4 on the resume of this Patriots dynasty.

Looking back, I wonder how the players truly feel about it - but I can say without question that the "pursuit of perfection" was a burden that I wasn't prepared for simply as a fan. It felt a little bit like Frodo Baggins being asked to bring the ring to Mordor. Naturally athletes are more mentally tough than fans, but I have to imagine that even with that, the players felt it ten-fold, and yet still managed to win week after week after week.

What I'm getting at is that if weren't for the horrifyingly, gut wrenching, excruciatingly painful manner in which we lost the Super Bowl, I think I'd honestly trade the SB win [that wasn't] for the 16-0 season at this point, with the benefit of a little perspective. 4 months of greatness outdoes the 2:42 seconds of suckiness that deprived us of the "ultimate goal", particularly considering the team has 3 rings on the resume.

 

[Disco Volante]

I'm convinced now that they may truly have lost to the better team in the Super Bowl, but 16-0 is certainly #4 on the resume of this Patriots dynasty.

I will never feel that way.

I still view the 2007 New England Patriots as the greatest team of all-time. We're 35 seconds away from that being a universally accepted statement.

 

[BradyManny]

I will never feel that way.

I still view the 2007 New England Patriots as the greatest team of all-time. We're 35 seconds away from that being a universally accepted statement.

But would've it been true? I'm not so sure. Just look at the flaws on the OL and defense that have been revealed since.

And as painful and flukey that last drive the Giants had was, it's not like they [the enemy] didn't deserve that victory. If it weren't for Hobbs picking off a flukey pass himself, the Giants probably go into halftime with a lead. They dominated our OLine, its that simple, they deserved to win.

Sure, there were about a half dozen things in the last 2:35 that could've and probably should've gone the other way, but it doesn't change whether this team had flaws. They did. And honestly, I think the 2004 Patriots would beat the 2007 Patriots. But that just makes what the 2007 Patriots did by going 16-0 look that much more special - they basically brought their A game every week, which is so unheard of in the NFL.

 

[NEPatriot]

08 season is opposite of 07 season. A QB really MAKES a DIFFERENCE.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

I will never feel that way.

I still view the 2007 New England Patriots as the greatest team of all-time. We're 35 seconds away from that being a universally accepted statement.

Me too. I'd just add that the extraordinary accomplishments of the 07 Patriots were also achieved under duress-nasty duress in fact When I look at the big picture which includes everything to do with 07 I don't get how anyone can call that team anything BUT extraordinary.

Most teams,maybe even any other team, wouldn't have done what they did given all the circumstances. Unfortunately the haters will never understand that unless their team is faced with everything the Pats were,and I doubt they'd find too many teams who could match what ours did under those same circumstances.

 

[captadamnj]

18-0 through the AFCCG is, in my mind, the greatest run a team in any sport has ever made. 16-0 is the greatest season ever. Not sealing the deal keeps them from being cemented as the greatest team ever.

 

[richpats]

Given that the 2008 Pats technically still have a chance of winning the Super Bowl, it certainly puts the 2007 Pats' LACK of accomplishment in perspective.

 

[amhunt2]

I'm not quite ready to look back on 2007 with the fondness that I know one day I will hold towards it. February 3rd is still too close. Thinking of the traumatic manner in which we lost the Super Bowl still triggers anger & sadness in me at any given moment my mind wanders to that game. That said, I think what we've seen right now from all the NFL teams thus far really puts last season in perspective. Just looking at the league so far and how much parity there is - I think it does make the 16-0 achievement look more special.

The Super Bowl champions, the best team in the league, just got crushed by the Browns.

The Patriots did not have a letdown game for the entire regular season - its unheralded in this era.

I'm convinced now that they may truly have lost to the better team in the Super Bowl, but 16-0 is certainly #4 on the resume of this Patriots dynasty.

Looking back, I wonder how the players truly feel about it - but I can say without question that the "pursuit of perfection" was a burden that I wasn't prepared for simply as a fan. It felt a little bit like Frodo Baggins being asked to bring the ring to Mordor. Naturally athletes are more mentally tough than fans, but I have to imagine that even with that, the players felt it ten-fold, and yet still managed to win week after week after week.

What I'm getting at is that if weren't for the horrifyingly, gut wrenching, excruciatingly painful manner in which we lost the Super Bowl, I think I'd honestly trade the SB win [that wasn't] for the 16-0 season at this point, with the benefit of a little perspective. 4 months of greatness outdoes the 2:42 seconds of suckiness that deprived us of the "ultimate goal", particularly considering the team has 3 rings on the resume.

last year is over. short term memory and move onto this year. 2 different teams completely. let's forget about last year when it comes to comparing it to this one.