What is a realistic year-to-year expectation?

[IllegalContact]

a large market team with an ownership like bob kraft should always be in the hunt.......

outside of the front offices apparent refusal to fix the most glaring weakness on the defense (pass rush), I really have no complaints.....

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Does this apply when you have a HOF coach and HOF QB?

Look, as soon as those two talents are gone, yes - the standards revert back to what the bulk of the other 31 fanbases deal with.

I'd still argue that "being competitive" is what we should reasonably hope for. There are two many variables and things out of our control to expect double digit victories and deep playoff runs every year. We have been truly fortunate this past decade.

Put yourself in a position to be competitive for the Division and if you make the playoffs see what happens.

And, our HOF QB is on the homeward nine of his career (only Elway has won an SB after the age of 35) and our HOF HC doesn't lace em up and step between the lines on Sunday afternoon.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

The question asked was about year-to-year expectations. Since the back-to-back SB years (final 4 expected), and other than 2005, with all the changes and the Johnson/Bruschi situations, and 2008 with Brady going down, what years did you not expect the Patriots to be in the final four?

If I could, I'd look you in the eye and say I never expected that, even in our silliest, dizziest days of success. I've followed the NFL for way too long not to know that there are too many factors that can influence how a season turns out to have that expectation.

I've always expected Kraft/Belichick/Brady teams to be tough, competitive and "in the hunt" for a long time, but never said to myself, "I expect them to be in the AFCCG or SB."

 

[IllegalContact]

since bob kraft has been the owner:

- the pats have made the playoffs in 12 of 17 years
- the pats have had a losing record twice

I think this is very good


that said, we as fans had become attached to the original BB philosophy (defense comes first) that obviously now has changed.....BB's path is becoming eerily reminiscent of don shula whose successfull teams were defensive, grind 'em out teams only to see most of his career latched onto dan marino and watching offense rather than returnign to grind 'em out.....

what BB is most afraid of now is what this team would look like without brady.......I believe that they would be in the suck for luck derby

 

[Shelterdog]

a large market team with an ownership like bob kraft should always be in the hunt.......

being a large market team dosn't really help in football.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

since bob kraft has been the owner: - the pats have made the playoffs in 12 of 17 years - the pats have had a losing record twice I think this is very good that said, we as fans had become attached to the original BB philosophy (defense comes first) that obviously now has changed.....BB's path is becoming eerily reminiscent of don shula whose successfull teams were defensive, grind 'em out teams only to see most of his career latched onto dan marino and watching offense rather than returnign to grind 'em out..... what BB is most afraid of now is what this team would look like without brady.......I believe that they would be in the suck for luck derby

I don't believe that for a minute, and if Bill did he'd likely be spending all his draft picks and cap $$$ on the defense. Hoyer on this team would likely get you to .500. Cassel got them 11 wins against a lot softer schedule and he didn't have bookend TE's or nearly the talent on OL and at RB to work with. Belichick's teams may not always win it all, but they have a knack for managing to make the best of a difficult situation - a knack most HC's and GM's in this league can only dream of as the unemployment line looms... Bill also knows that past is prologue and what won a decade ago won't necessarily win next season. He strives to build rosters that can win this season. The media strives to quantify his beliefs. But at this juncture in NFL history, it isn't going to take a great defense to win it all and a great defense won't win at all unless they have a solid offense. Conversely a great offense coupled with just a solid defense has just as good a shot at winning it all. We should be thankful we only have one really glaring deficit to work on and it happens to be Bill's forte.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Does this apply when you have a HOF coach and HOF QB?

Look, as soon as those two talents are gone, yes - the standards revert back to what the bulk of the other 31 fanbases deal with.

We aren't the only team with a couple of HOFers.

Lets look at what the Chargers have done with their talent level or the Colts or Dallas. It is a competitive league -- three SB and four confererence championships in a decade is way more than realistic expectation even with a HOF QB and coach.

 

[BradyManny]

We aren't the only team with a couple of HOFers.

Lets look at what the Chargers have done with their talent level or the Colts or Dallas. It is a competitive league -- three SB and four confererence championships in a decade is way more than realistic expectation even with a HOF QB and coach.

Rivers & Romo are not Brady. Nor are they in the same category.

Brady & Manning are a category. Rodgers is in it now.

Brees is arguable.

None of those teams has a coach as good as Belichick. And Kraft is probably the best owner, too. So we still have a huge leg up on those teams, too.

 

[cornhuskers_2002]

win 10 games with brady, hope the team (DEF) develops enough to win a playoff game

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

And Kraft is probably the best owner, too.

Not even close --- Rooney.

 

[BradyManny]

Not even close --- Rooney.

But that team lacks an elite QB.

 

[NEPatriot]

I don't look at the upcoming season as "where will end up"" I try and enjoy each week of the season and where we end is where we end. I was a fan when we were terrible and I'll still be a fan if we revert back to those days.