New England Patriots; not as dominant as we think?

The New England Patriots…when you hear those words what do you think of?

Champions

Success.

Classy.

This has been the standard for the Patriots, but lately I have begun to question those words describing this organization.

Since 2000 the Patriots have won three Super Bowl titles all coming with future Hall-of-Famer Tom Brady at the helm, which is the most titles in the NFL in those 13 years. Led by Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have been one of the most successful and highly praised sport teams in recent memory. Why is it that year in and year out, we as NFL fans praise the Patriots as an unshakable force to be reckoned with?

While the Patriots have won three Super Bowl titles within the last 13 years, they all came early in the 2000’s. While they have lost two since their last Super Bowl victory, many people seem to forget that it has been nearly eight years since the Patriots last won a Super Bowl.

Here is a look at each of the Patriots seasons since their last title:

2005: [10-6], lost in Divisional Playoffs (Broncos)

2006: [12-4], lost in Conference Championship game (Colts)

2007: [16-0], lost in the Super Bowl (Giants)

2008: [11-5], missed playoffs

2009: [10-6], lost in Wild Card Playoffs (Ravens)

2010: [14-2], lost in Divisional Playoffs (Jets)

2011: [13-3], lost in the Super Bowl (Giants)

2012: [12-4], lost in Conference Championship game (Ravens)

While the Patriots have accomplished so much regular season success since their last Super Bowl title, they have failed to bring back the Lombardi trophy for a fourth time. Past success is important as it provides something for you to look back on and learn from but nowadays national sports fans are more focused on “what have you done for me lately.” I look at the Patriots as consistent contenders as they have been lucky enough to be a consistent playoff team year in and year out but like the Lakers and Yankees, to name a few, the Patriots organization has the mentality of championship or bust. Anything else is a disappointment and by this measure, New England has been a disappointing team for the second half of Tom Brady’s illustrious career.

What do you think? Have they been a bust? Do they have a prayer of making noise again this year with all their injuries and distractions?