The Pats faced teams like the Cards, Bills, Fins, Seahawks, Browns, Texans and Jax during that stretch. Not exactly the creme de la creme of the league back then...
yes but you must also remember, and perhaps, you forgot, that we faced the #2, #3, #4, and #7 seeds (the browns you mentioned who only missed the #6 seed cause the Colts gave the titans a gimmie in the last game
) in the AFC, and the #1, #5, and #6 seeds in the NFC, we played 6 out of a possible 8 playoff teams for a given season, played against an undefeated teams in their house (DAL - #1 seed NFC) in what was a game (at that time) between two undefeated teams at the latest point in a season and only went on to put up one point shy of the most points EVER in Texas stadium, we there after broke that undefeated match-up record when we played the colts #2 seed, in thier house, we saddled with a franchise record in penalties and still won.
We not only had the top seeds in each conference, we got everyone's A+ game, and they all spent their wad playing us, as evident by the fact that our opponents were so drained after our games they went a collective 1-15 after playing us, we on the other hand had to go out the next week and get everyone's A game,
THAT is what the 2007 Pats did . . . (not to mention all of the records)
all it takes is one game loss to break a streak, we had the top seeds in both conferences, 1, 5, 6 & 2, 3, 4, 7 with everyone bringing the A game . . . how do you think most teams would fair if they had that kind of schedule, it simply doesn't get any tougher than that . ..