In each of the aforementioned seasons, a single thread emerges. The Offense (Yes, the Offense) could not make a play to turn the tide. The absolute dearth of playmakers on the Offensive side of the ball has killed the Dynasty, such as it existed. Against elite teams, they cannot sustain drives and control the clock. This drains the Defense, leading to their inexorable collapse.
In each hearbreaking loss, Brady has been left to make key plays to sustain drives with the likes of Troy Brown (8th Round draft Choice) in the Broncos loss and Colts loss (not to mention castoff Reche Caldwell), an aging Kevin Faulk (4th and 2), an alligator armed spent Randy Moss (SB 42), UDFA Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead (beloved overachievers both but complementary players at best) as well as an old and slow Deion Branch (a shadow of his former self). Granted there have been playmakers, but any Defense worth it's salt will take away the best ones. Where are the Blue Chip athletes on Offense? They are on the line and at TE. Both work between the lines. Yet, BB and Caserio will spend late April proving how "smart" they are by playing the draft board as if it's a chess board. Sometimes Football is just checkers; have the most Kings on the board and you'll Win.
Brady is getting injured more and more. Soon, he'll be gone. Some of his best years will have been wasted. At some point he has to ask himself why he goes through all of this? He has it all. He can walk away reasonably healthy, very wealthy and undoubtedly wiser for the experience but no more decorated in glory than he is today.
Next year we will go to Training Camp, watch games in person and on TV and be fully invested as if those old glory days will return, but at the end of the day I am confident that they will not. This is because the fate of this team is determined primarily by one man, and that man is not Tom Brady, it is BB. His legacy is being diminished by his hubris. Every Dictatorship always has a period of short lived glory, a slow decline and a miserable ending. The timeline will be decided by how long the Kraft's can endure this perpetual Ground Hog Day. BTW, I'd love to be wrong...
In the meantime, can someone just take out Bernard Pollard's knees?
