mgoblue101415
10-20-2004, 03:18 PM
Few kings have ruled like the Pats
10/19/2004
By BOB DICESARE
The leaves are falling throughout New England, but not the Patriots, never the Patriots. The longest winning streak in NFL history reached 20 games Sunday, a feat that has defied the law of averages and the drag of parity to rank as perhaps the most remarkable achievement in the annals of U.S. team sports.
The Patriots have fashioned a quasi-dynasty with few of the standard dynastic components. They're not the Celtics of Bill Russell and Bob Cousy, the Lakers of Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, the UCLA teams of Lew Alcindor and, later, Bill Walton. They bear no resemblance to the great Yankees clubs, or the Steelers, Dolphins, Packers and Cowboys, four NFL franchises that mounted distinguished runs drawing widespread acclaim.
The Patriots are unique because their roster's neither brimming with Hall of Famers nor the product of steadfast continuity. They have no lock on the great players of the era and, in fact, have willingly rid themselves of premium talents coveted by their rivals. And yet they win and win and win again, having eluded defeat for what's nearing 13 months.
That's the Pats' MO, they elude defeat. Rarely do they score a blowout victory typically associated with dominant teams. Instead, New England almost invariably invites its opponents to hang around, to think "maybe," the carrot dangled and then tugged away with a snicker. It's as if victory can't be fully savored until the other side has been duped into a false sense of equality.
Statistics are meaningless numbers at the end of a Patriots game. They yielded 443 yards and 23 first downs Sunday to Seattle, a franchise with Super Bowl aspirations. Both teams turned the ball over twice, committed six penalties. Predictably, New England put it away down the stretch, dodging bullets until culminating the victory-securing drive with just less than two minutes remaining, a variation of the way it has played out so many times before.
How they do it is mystifying, impossible to peg. The Pats opened this season with 12 different starters than they had at the beginning of last season, including their running back and three offensive linemen. They often fill the gaps by shopping garage sales, by finding a use for the unwanted. Their rookies contribute from the get-go. It can't be all Bill Belichick, the Pats' celebrated head coach, their heralded mastermind. More likely it's a confluence of numerous factors: the talent judgments of Scott Pioli, vice president of personnel; the strategies of Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel, the offensive and defensive coordinators; the unflappable demeanor and unerring accuracy of quarterback Tom Brady, the quarterback selected with a sixth-round draft pick. Whatever it is, the Patriots have it, and no one else is close to duplicating the model.
New England's winning culture has become so alluring that players are doing the unthinkable: They're turning their backs on greener pastures to remain with the Pats. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi and left tackle Matt Light signed contract extensions for significantly less money than would have been available elsewhere. The Patriots have no salary cap problems, remain oblivious to urgency that leads so many of their counterparts to spend for today only to regret it tomorrow. They'll gladly whip your high-priced free agent with an undrafted nobody.
The pages of sports history are filled with the tales of great teams, of UCLA's 88-game basketball winning streak, Oklahoma's 47 straight football victories, the 33 in a row won by the Lakers of Chamberlain and West. They're dominance was understandable given the talent they possessed. The Pats? Has sports seen anything like them?
10/19/2004
By BOB DICESARE
The leaves are falling throughout New England, but not the Patriots, never the Patriots. The longest winning streak in NFL history reached 20 games Sunday, a feat that has defied the law of averages and the drag of parity to rank as perhaps the most remarkable achievement in the annals of U.S. team sports.
The Patriots have fashioned a quasi-dynasty with few of the standard dynastic components. They're not the Celtics of Bill Russell and Bob Cousy, the Lakers of Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, the UCLA teams of Lew Alcindor and, later, Bill Walton. They bear no resemblance to the great Yankees clubs, or the Steelers, Dolphins, Packers and Cowboys, four NFL franchises that mounted distinguished runs drawing widespread acclaim.
The Patriots are unique because their roster's neither brimming with Hall of Famers nor the product of steadfast continuity. They have no lock on the great players of the era and, in fact, have willingly rid themselves of premium talents coveted by their rivals. And yet they win and win and win again, having eluded defeat for what's nearing 13 months.
That's the Pats' MO, they elude defeat. Rarely do they score a blowout victory typically associated with dominant teams. Instead, New England almost invariably invites its opponents to hang around, to think "maybe," the carrot dangled and then tugged away with a snicker. It's as if victory can't be fully savored until the other side has been duped into a false sense of equality.
Statistics are meaningless numbers at the end of a Patriots game. They yielded 443 yards and 23 first downs Sunday to Seattle, a franchise with Super Bowl aspirations. Both teams turned the ball over twice, committed six penalties. Predictably, New England put it away down the stretch, dodging bullets until culminating the victory-securing drive with just less than two minutes remaining, a variation of the way it has played out so many times before.
How they do it is mystifying, impossible to peg. The Pats opened this season with 12 different starters than they had at the beginning of last season, including their running back and three offensive linemen. They often fill the gaps by shopping garage sales, by finding a use for the unwanted. Their rookies contribute from the get-go. It can't be all Bill Belichick, the Pats' celebrated head coach, their heralded mastermind. More likely it's a confluence of numerous factors: the talent judgments of Scott Pioli, vice president of personnel; the strategies of Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel, the offensive and defensive coordinators; the unflappable demeanor and unerring accuracy of quarterback Tom Brady, the quarterback selected with a sixth-round draft pick. Whatever it is, the Patriots have it, and no one else is close to duplicating the model.
New England's winning culture has become so alluring that players are doing the unthinkable: They're turning their backs on greener pastures to remain with the Pats. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi and left tackle Matt Light signed contract extensions for significantly less money than would have been available elsewhere. The Patriots have no salary cap problems, remain oblivious to urgency that leads so many of their counterparts to spend for today only to regret it tomorrow. They'll gladly whip your high-priced free agent with an undrafted nobody.
The pages of sports history are filled with the tales of great teams, of UCLA's 88-game basketball winning streak, Oklahoma's 47 straight football victories, the 33 in a row won by the Lakers of Chamberlain and West. They're dominance was understandable given the talent they possessed. The Pats? Has sports seen anything like them?