The Ten Year Drought

[mosslost]

How did we all get through the 10 year Lombardi drought? Though I don't tend to get super (no pun intended) upset any more, I do obviously feel down and hard to get productive. Maybe the 2 recent victories help.

However, during the ten year drought I remember at one point (maybe the Jets year, or even the several years after that year) thinking that the Patriots had transformed from Dynastic Dominance to Playoff Pain machine all those years.

So, we survived the ten year drought. This will pass.

 

[jah]

My attitude going into every postseason over that stretch:

2005: 3 in a row? Brady's never even lost a playoff game, so of course.

2006: Not the best Patriots squad in recent years but there's at least a chance.

2007: 19-0 here we come

2008: What postseason?

2009: Not a great team but Brady's back and the Pats never lose playoff games at home...

2010: This team is ****ing better than 2007! I've never seen a more obvious Super Bowl winner.

2011: Not really as good as last year's team, but there's no way the Giants do it twice.

2012: Can't wait to get revenge on Flacco in our home stadium where the refs won't be swayed by "********" chants.

2013: Welp, half the team is injured. Maybe we get lucky.

2014: Alright, I get it now, the early 2000s were a fluke and we actually just choke in the playoffs now.

 

[lancerman]

The thing is we were always close. We went to two Super Bowls and 5 AFCCG's during that drought. Also it's really a nine year drought.

 

[mosslost]

The thing is we were always close. We went to two Super Bowls and 5 AFCCG's during that drought. Also it's really a nine year drought.

true, we won it on the 10th year.. got it

 

[TB_Helmet]

The thing is we were always close. We went to two Super Bowls and 5 AFCCG's during that drought. Also it's really a nine year drought.

Right, the fact we won 3 out of 4 made the 10 years look worse. But if you assume that when you make the playoffs, the Patriots have maybe a 33% chance of winning the Super Bowl, then we got lucky the first four years and unlucky the next 10, and lucky again. Losses in 2006, 2007, and 2011 were basically coin flips and in any of those seasons, one catch (Caldwell, Samuels, and Welker) was the difference between losing and winning.

 

[pwes]

If we were a .500 or losing team during those 10 year i imagine it would have been harder to stomach and get through. But the fact we were always in the thick of it even though we couldn't seal the deal still made getting through the seasons pretty easy. I mean we just won last year. It's not like we are still in the 'drought'.

 

[mosslost]

Right, the fact we won 3 out of 4 made the 10 years look worse. But if you assume that when you make the playoffs, the Patriots have maybe a 33% chance of winning the Super Bowl, then we got lucky the first four years and unlucky the next 10, and lucky again. Losses in 2006, 2007, and 2011 were basically coin flips and in any of those seasons, one catch (Caldwell, Samuels, and Welker) was the difference between losing and winning.

Right, and basically we are always pretty close now (7 straight AFCCGs, 4 SB appearances, 2 wins )

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I can understand the drought because when you win 3 titles in 4 years you

A) you are great but you also got some breaks /bounces go your way. You are due to endure some tough luck which we did with bounces and injuries.

B) you have alot of key players that will get old and need replaced or leave for more money. Team had to ‘rebuild’ after 2007 defensively at least and it took a few years to really get that d where it needed to be. We were able to contend in the meantime thanks to brady just being that good.

In 2014 and 2016 we finally had stuff go our way again. If we can get a solid offseason in we should hopefully get another with this group.

 

[TB12GOATQB]

Because every year we were still winning the division and 12-14 games, almost perfect in 07, 2 trips to SB, a few to AFCCG...so there was always the feeling they were right there and would.do it...that said 2014 may be my favorite SB win because it ended that drought plus shoved it up the azz of the haters

 

[Brick27]

Because every year we were still winning the division and 12-14 games, almost perfect in 07, 2 trips to SB, a few to AFCCG...so there was always the feeling they were right there and would.do it...that said 2014 may be my favorite SB win because it ended that drought plus shoved it up the azz of the haters

2016 was sweet as hell, but that 2014 season felt more fulfilling.

 

[TB12GOATQB]

2016 was sweet as hell, but that 2014 season felt more fulfilling.

Agreed. To.me last year added to the legend etc, but 2014 was sweeter. I have a hard time ranking between 2014 and 2001 as tops. Ending that drought felt so sweet and was vindication from the critics