I just fear that the team, not Brady, has become the Atlanta Braves of the NFL like someone else said...a great team in the regular season and good enough to make the playoffs but not win in it. If the Pats are going to win another SB during the Brady/Belichick era, it will because the team around him comes together, doesn't drop balls at the worst moments or give up first downs with the game on the line.
The teams of the past few years have looked downright afraid come playoff time. I'll give them a pass for SB46 because they were playing a team that for whatever reason has their number...but cmon, losing in the first round to an inferior Jets team? That's straight up lack of mental toughness.
I guess like everyone else I was just spoiled with the 2001-2005 teams. Those teams had playmakers and mental toughness.
I'd be happy for competitive football until Brady retires and one more ring, but I fear it won't happen, especially when it's a one game elimination in the playoffs. All it takes is a hot and hungry team to outplay the Pats for one day as we've seen over the past several years.
I've learned though to just sit back and enjoy the 16 game season because as a spectator you have no control over the impact of games, and even if they don't win another SB, they're going to win 11-12-13 games or more every year as long as Brady is under center, and I know fans of teams like the Jaguars where going 9-7 and getting a wildcard birth would be like winning the SB to them.