Yep they had a great run with Brady and Belichick. The jury is still out on if they can stay on top with Maye, etc. Vrabel is a good coach. Defense is good. Big variable, though, is Maye ain't Brady. There was a mental toughness aspect to Brady that we may never see again. Can't underestimate that for those Pats fans hoping or believing they are destined for another decade of dominance and greatness with Maye and Vrabel.It's incredible to think about how much the Patriots absolutely dominated the league ... and especially the AFC ... during Brady's tenure. The Pats, as an organization, had the most Super Bowl appearances in the history of the NFL, by a comfortable margin, and hold that record despite being absolute uncompetitive trash for much of the franchise's existence. I know people know these facts, but still not sure they're appreciated the way they should be. I hated the Pats for many years, including some of the Brady years, and only became a reluctant fan based on my kids' experiences up here, but that kind of success, in modern sports especially, is just unfathomable. So to be back in the Super Bowl discussion so quickly after Brady left and it all went south, with a young QB who looks like he could lead this charge again for many years ... must be so incredibly frustrating to the fans of other teams who can't get their stuff together, or maintain their stuff for very long.
As for this past year, I contend they got two lucky breaks that got them all the way to the SB. First, the horrible interception call that robbed Buffalo of a win vs Denver. I believe they were going to lose to the Bills in the AFC Championship. Allen woud not have turned the ball over again like he did vs Denver. Second, Nix is out and they play a team who doesn't even have an NFL QB. The Cheatriots had a great season but I'm not convinced they will be back in the SB next season.