Beyond the dynasty

By Os Davis  |   Thursday, May 22, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

New England Patriots
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You know how the football fan knows the NFL’s springtime lull has officially begun? With the publishing of New England Patriots?” column" target="_new">the first “R.I.P. New England Patriots?” column.

Such reportage is nothing new, of course, with the earliest of vultures beginning to circle back in 2004, shortly after the final gun popped to end Super Bowl XXXVIII. Heck, this writer’s taken his shots. Don McLean was shamelessly ripped off to inform about “The Day the Dynasty Died.” In February of last year came the proclamation that “the dissolving roster is an indication that the Patriot dynasty is emphatically over.” And even while acknowledging New England as the overwhelming favorite to take the last AFC championship, you have to consider the alternatives: “While most speak of the 'Patriots dynasty,’ the truth is they haven’t won the conference in two years.”

Today, even given the outrageous standard for 2008 set here (and firmly believed in by yours truly, really) and my agreement with New England as odds-on favorite to take Super Bowl XLIII, the fact bears repeating:

The New England Patriots dynasty is over.

The dynasty died, historically and spiritually, in the 2005 divisional round against the Denver Broncos. The current roster will carry, what, five guys from that Cinderella story squad of 2001? Can this be considered a contiguous roster running essentially throughout this decade? If so, how can you call a team “dynasty” when it hasn’t won the big one in three years?

Finally, because the hyperbolists at the media machines have been abusing the sense of the D-word for some time, a quick revisit of the actual meaning of “dynasty,” on which the sports term is ostensibly based. To wit: “dynasty” is defined by Merriam-Webster's online dictionary as a “powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time.”

Note the crucial bit: “maintains its position for a considerable time.”

Now, while the Patriots are to be commended for their commitment to excellence and recent run of success – in the past seven seasons, the Pats have gone 86-16 in the regular season for a crazy .843 winning percentage, 80-plus points better than forces such as the 2002-2007 Indianapolis Colts (73-23) and 1983-1993 San Francisco 49ers (134-42) – how such New England’s “position” over this considerable time be defined? As a double-digit-winning team that no one wants to face in the playoffs? Meet the Broncos, who fit the description well enough but haven’t won a Super Bowl since Terrell Davis was pounding the ball.

So let’s stop using “dynasty” in connection with the Patriots, OK? We’ll toss this particular expression right out along with usage of the execrable (not to mention incorrect) “more dominant” and “most dominant” in describing Boston football as well.

What’s much more interesting vis-à-vis the current defining of the Patriots’ position in NFL history – talking sheerly in terms of on-field stuff here – is that this team is now once again heading into uncharted waters. No precedent is set as to what happens in the follow-up to a 16-0 regular season. And while most are fond are replaying the woes of recent Super Bowl losers in awaiting the downfall of the Patriots, at least three good reasons exist to argue New England right into the playoffs and most likely to 10 wins at least: The New York Jets, the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins. And nobody wants to face the Patriots in the playoffs.

The paradox for NFL fans in the 2008 season is that, while most would probably (begrudgingly, outside of the six states) admit that the Patriots are the favorite to win Super Bowl XLIII, only the Dallas Cowboys of the 1970s were able to bounce back from a loss with a win shortly thereafter: After losing to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl X, they rebounded to crush the hapless Broncos in XII. And who would call those Cowboys a dynasty? Even if you stretch out the run from 1970-1983, you’ve got a cumulative 167-54 and a Super Bowl record of 2-3, a true run of excellence we’d all surely agree, but no dynasty, even in today’s loose parlance.

The great thing about the Patriots on this run in the ‘00s is the new ground the team constantly sets: Biggest Super Bowl upset ever; first AFC team to win three Super Bowls; second team to win three Super Bowls in four years; individual passing records demolished; first team to a 16-0 regular season; first team ever to 18-0 ...

Once again can these Patriots open the season with what should become the team’s official logo: Welcome to history.

History beyond the dynasty, that is.

Ruling over like Ming throughout the year at RealFootball365.com
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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