Re: Marshall Faulk "Patriots can only tie for best ever - Never break any Wins record
If you put the men in their time, then yes, the Dolphins were the best of their time.
The Patriots are obviously the best of their time.
Otto Graham's Cleveland Browns were probably the best of their time.
The 'Boys of the '80's, the Niners of the '90's were unquestionably the best of their time.
The Steelers owned the '70's.
And so it goes.
The difference here, tho, when invoking the title, "Best Of All Time", is taking in the big picture.
All these teams I've listed were, over a period of years, quite dominant.
Save one.
The '72 Miami Dolphins, owners of a 17-0 season, who ran the table on a schedule who's winning percentage was .396.
The following season they were quite good, but failed to capitalize by winning the Super Bowl.
In terms of winning percentage, yes, Marshall Faulk is right - it can never be beaten. Only equaled.
That, however, does not mean the two teams, given their respective moments in history, are equal. They are not.
We cannot denigrate the fine efforts of that '72 Miami team, nor should we want to. They earned everything that came their way that season, and whatever followed for them.
But observers like Faulk, likewise, cannot denigrate the fine effort of this '07 Patriot team. Winning percentage is an indicator of a team's proficiency (winning is, after all, everything), but you cannot, on that basis, say they are the same. Only the outcome of their respective efforts have been the same.
And that is all.