I'll say it right here, it's verifiable fact: The New England patriots are the fourth or fifth (depending on how you count it) best team in Football history.
The Patriots have been in five of the past 19 superbowls, with a 3-2 record. Only Dallas with 8, and Denver with six, have more superbowl appearances.
The problem with Denver, is that it has a pretty bad win-loss record, thus the qualifier for fourth or fifth place. I personally put San Francicso, Pittsburgh, and the Patriots above Denver because of their win loss, even though Denver has one more appearance than any of those three.
Dallas has 8 appearances for a 5-3 record
Denver has 6 appearances for a 4-2 record
San Francisco has 5 appearances for a 5-0 record
Pittsburgh has 5 appearances, for a 4-1 record
New England has 5 appearances for a 3-2 record, including a back to back
Oakland has 5 appearances for a 3-2 record but has never gone back to back
Miami has 5 appearances for a 2-3 record
Not only that, but New England has been in 4 of the past 8, and 3 of 4 superbowls with a 3-0 record. No other team has even come close in the past ten years, and only Dallas and SF have done 4 of 8 (Dallas did 5 of 8 actually), with only Dallas also matching the 3 of 4 .
In fact in the last ten years, only one other team has won twice, Denver (back to back in the '97 and '98 seasons).
And lets not forget the 21 game winning streak, and the 3-1/2 year home winning streak. The pats havent lost at home since 2002.
If the Pats make it 5 for 9 and win, they'll beat the Cowboys winning percentage (.666 vs .625), and tie them as the only team to be in the majority of the superbowls in a decade (Dallas was in five superbowls from 1971-79, but didnt go again til '93), and be the only team to go 4 for 5.
At that point the debate is whether a 6 appearance 4-2 record puts you ahead of a 5 appearance 5-0 record.
Okay so numbers aside, tonight is the season opener (oh and check out Boomer Esiasons take on the pre-season, which I wholeheartedly agree with), Oakland at New England
; and other than the injury report (not good for New England), I'm stoked.
Yes, we lost some key personnel, but we have still got what I believe is the best team, and best coaching staff in the NFL. I'm certain we will at least make the AFC championship game, and I would not be at all surprised to see a repeat appearance in the SuperBowl this year.
That I think would cement us as the second (or third depending on how you count the numbers) best team in NFL history.
Oh and I'm reasonably certain no-one is ever going to beat the Niners 5-0 record, and I'm also reasonably certain the niners wont see another superbowl in the next five years (rebuilding doesnt begin to describe...).
Clearly the cowboys with their 8 appearances and .625 record are a better team historically than the 9ers, so it really comes down to the question, as with Denver, (6 with 4-2 for .333) which is more important, the one more appearance, or the percentage. I think with two more appearances you can say, Ok, that's a better record, but with one more appearance it's iffy. If it's one more appearance and the record is .500 or over I say they come out on top, but if it's under .500 I say they come out below.
Actually in that case so long as the Pats get IN to the SB this year, they'd still come out second of all time with a .500 record (current record is .600).
Oh and as to tonight, I think the game is too close to call because of the injuries. Vegas has the Pats by 7.5, and 49.5, but I'll take the Pats by 3.5 and 45.5 on the over.
