Did the failures of 2005-2013 make 2014 & 2016 that much sweeter for you ?

[wizwor]

I enjoyed these recent superbowls more than the first ones a decade ago.

The first one was magic. The Season. Three Games. The Snow. The Drive. The Kick.

 

[luuked]

Like others have already said. I don't see a single failed season since 2002.

A loss in the AFCCG or the SB doesn't invalidate the previous ~ 20 weeks of entertainment and excitement the team has provided me on a regular basis year by year.

If you define a successful season by ending up with a trophy then it is your own fault. I still enjoy watching most old games from 2007, 2011 or even 2013. Hell, I get hyped every time I see the failed comeback against the 49ers in 2012 and how we finished that job in 2013 against the Broncos.

 

[DarrylS]

Perhaps my POV is based on years of the Pats being the NFL laughingstock, but do not see the period of 2005 to 2013 as years of failure..

Even in 2007 did not consider that a failure, that was a bunch of incredible luck by the NYG.. conversely in the 2017 SB the Pats had their fair share of luck.. missed block by the supposed MVP Freeman and a miraculous catch by Edelman helped with that win..

I am very lucky to be an unabashed, long term fan of the NEP.. and this stretch has only intensified my passion..

 

[oldrover]

The first one was magic. The Season. Three Games. The Snow. The Drive. The Kick.

You forgot...

...The Hit.

 

[The Gr8est]

Like others have already said. I don't see a single failed season since 2002.

A loss in the AFCCG or the SB doesn't invalidate the previous ~ 20 weeks of entertainment and excitement the team has provided me on a regular basis year by year.

If you define a successful season by ending up with a trophy then it is your own fault. I still enjoy watching most old games from 2007, 2011 or even 2013. Hell, I get hyped every time I see the failed comeback against the 49ers in 2012 and how we finished that job in 2013 against the Broncos.

Also, we can't forget that the Pats have accomplished most of this while being square in the bullseye of the NFL*'s cheating efforts and being every other team's Superbowl.

Now add in the extra wear and tear on players' bodies from all of the extra games, the low draft position, and shortened offseason to prepare for the next season, and you realize that what we are witnessing is staggeringly unprecedented.

 

[InRodWeRust]

The 2007 SB loss was so painful for me that the next season I posed the question to myself: Would I take a Super Bowl win in 2007 to witness the greatest season of football ever played, have Brady perfect in Super Bowls and be arguably the greatest quarterback of all time but he would never recover from his knee injury and retire? Or would I accept the loss and hope he could have some great seasons and hopefully win at least one more Super Bowl?

Looking back at it now the former is still a pretty good deal but I'm a lot happier with how the latter turned out.

 

[Tony2046]

Also, we can't forget that the Pats have accomplished most of this while being square in the bullseye of the NFL*'s cheating efforts and being every other team's Superbowl.

Now add in the extra wear and tear on players' bodies from all of the extra games, the low draft position, and shortened offseason to prepare for the next season, and you realize that what we are witnessing is staggeringly unprecedented.

"No days off" and "we're five weeks behind ".

Funny thing is that BB stole the JETES off-season glory and their cupcakes. So much so that they ran into their little safe space crying, "waaa...we're gonna tank the season....so there "

Maybe the JETES could skip every other season or something so they'd have more time to catch up.

Damn. Maybe they could skip every week or two during the season. That would give them extra time to prepare. They would have a better chance at 9- 7.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

2006 was my greatest disappointment. Blew a big halftime lead over the Colts in the AFCCG. Not quite Falcon like, but in the ballpark. To top it off Manning goes against an inept QB and team in the SB to coast to a ring. Followed by the last minute train wreck of the 2007 season SB. Then the 2008 Brady injury.
Dark times.

I'm pretty much over it given 2014 and 2016. Nobody calls PM the GOAT QB anymore.

 

[pazrul72]

2006 was my greatest disappointment. Blew a big halftime lead over the Colts in the AFCCG. Not quite Falcon like, but in the ballpark. To top it off Manning goes against an inept QB and team in the SB to coast to a ring. Followed by the last minute train wreck of the 2007 season SB. Then the 2008 Brady injury.
Dark times.

I'm pretty much over it given 2014 and 2016. Nobody calls PM the GOAT QB anymore.

Agree entirely 2006 was more painful to me Then 2007. That loss when we had a win all but locked haunts me to this day more then the SB because at least in that game we were outplayed and deserved to lose. As to nobody saying pay me a ton is the GOAT I **** you not in the jets SB thread from last year some delusional jete fan said pay me a ton is better because of coming back from his neck surgery and Brady is just a product of being on great teams. To their credit he was resoundly mocked but still he said and meant it and tried justifying it. I just don't know what patriot team he has been watching because with the exception of one year of Moss name the offensive HOF player Brady has played with? Gronk if he stays healthy maybe and Welker has a shot but in general it has been a resolving door of good enough weapons Brady has made better. Great RB behind him with a punishing ground game? Again one year of Dillion but besides that it's been mostly just good enough to take advantage of nickle defenses afraid of Brady. Sometimes you just have to roll your eyes and realize haters gonna hate

 

[JJR4884]

2006 was my greatest disappointment. Blew a big halftime lead over the Colts in the AFCCG. Not quite Falcon like, but in the ballpark. To top it off Manning goes against an inept QB and team in the SB to coast to a ring. Followed by the last minute train wreck of the 2007 season SB. Then the 2008 Brady injury.
Dark times.

I'm pretty much over it given 2014 and 2016. Nobody calls PM the GOAT QB anymore.

Couldn't agree more. That 2006 AFCCG was brutal. We had a walk in the park against Rex Grossman in the SB.

The 2007 SB was hard, but I left that game knowing that the NYG earned that game with the insanely phenomenal defense they played. Can't be a sore loser, they deserved that win.

But to look back at all of this and say anything negative or in the realm of "failure" is something that would never come out of my mouth. I wouldn't change anything, including 2006/2007 tragic endings. You need humbling experiences in life, and those two top the list. We have a lot of painful losses, but we need to recognize that the only reason we have so many painful losses is because we are consistently in the big games.

The best thing at this point now is, we are at the top of the hill. After Brady's 5th, I will find it easier to deal with losing big games. I'm not saying as a fan there isn't any more thirst for winning, but hey... we've accomplished a lot. I can assure you a SB loss next year would probably feel about 10% as terrible as how it was for Falcon fans. They had it in the bag and lost it, their opportunity to get their first ring. That has got to be soul crushing just like our 07 SB.

 

[Joey007]

Everything but 07.

I had felt better about it for a while. Then I saw the A$ante drop. Got mad again.

 

[Joey007]

I enjoyed these recent superbowls more than the first ones a decade ago. Plus the way we won are recent ones have been extremely dramatic. Butler int and 28-3.

Also, only 2009 was a failure as far as I'm concerned. I hated that year.

"I just can't get this team to play the way I want them to play." -BB to Brady at the end of the Saints game.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

"I just can't get this team to play the way I want them to play." -BB to Brady at the end of the Saints game.

I just looked at the 2009 roster. With a few notable exceptions like good OL, vastly inferior talent to the 2014-2017 rosters.
Several problematic attitude players and aside from Welker, not much talent at WR. Watson was the only decent TE.

 

[PatsDeb]

Nope. I am bitter and upset when we lose, over the moon when we win. I'd rather be over the moon every single time. It never gets old. The only big win that is a little sweeter for me is 2001 as that was the first one.

 

[Bradyking12]

Still sucks but the last two SBs makes it not that bad

 

[Joey007]

I just looked at the 2009 roster. With a few notable exceptions like good OL, vastly inferior talent to the 2014-2017 rosters.
Several problematic attitude players and aside from Welker, not much talent at WR. Watson was the only decent TE.

Laurence "Fumble at the goal line" Maroney at RB. Brandon "blow coverage at the worst time" Meriweather at Safety. And who could forget Adalius "too proud of his mediocre production" Thomas? Not too mention a bunch of meh starters like McGowan, Banta-Cain, Bodden, etc....

It wasn't just that the talent was lacking which made this team frustrating. A lot of the players themselves were just unlikeable.

 

[sb1]

No question this team and especially BB and Brady would be looked at very differently if they had gone 0-2 in the Super Bowl in the last 3 years.

At 3-4 in the SB Brady would be permanently out of the discussion for GOAT and questions would be asked around why he and the Patriots can't seem to win it all in a very pass favorable era of the NFL and benefiting from little division competition.

 

[wizwor]

I didn't forget. That was not a highlight for me. It was tragic -- almost fatal. I would like to remind you that the guy who took that hit came back and played well in the AFC Championship against Pittsburgh. In fact, he took a similar hit in that game -- once again putting the team before his own well being. No surprise really from a guy who played with a broken finger on his throwing hand.

You forgot...

...The Hit.

 

[brdmaverick]

Of course the losses made me appreciate the wins more.

After the 3 out of 4 wins in the early 2000's there was a lot of pressure to keep winning just to leave up to the expectations. It was almost expected that they would win again.

Well, 10 years later mixed in with a few heartbreaks you'd better believe victory tasted as sweet as it can get.

 

[VectorPrime]

I just can't get past that we lost to Eli and the Giants twice. I really wish we had lost to the 49ers in 2011 instead, I could live with that. But uggghh