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The New England Patriots have been the best NFL franchise in history for several years now. They’re dominance over two decades has been and likely will be unmatched. Tom Brady is undoubtedly the best quarterback of all time. Fans of Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, and Dan Marino can make feeble claims, but as he prepares for his ninth Super Bowl since 2002, it’s hard to vote against the winningest QB the game has ever seen.
But he’s 41. When I first said the Patriots were done, he was 34. I didn’t think he was over the hill, but I thought his supporting cast was diminishing. Following the loss to the underdog NY Giants for the second time in four years, I didn’t see a path for them to return until the next generation of players.
That lasted three seasons until their miraculous win over the Seattle Seahawks in 2015. I’d learned my lesson and didn’t pronounce them done. It was a good thing since they returned to the Super Bowl two out of the next three seasons.
This time, win or lose, I believe Brady and the Patriots are going to the Super Bowl for the last time.
Medical science and favorable rules for quarterbacks has changed the calculus for “over the hill” players at the position. They can stay healthy and effective longer than before because everyone’s so worried about a big penalty if they blow on the QB too hard. That’s not to say the position isn’t still dangerous; clean hits can still be gruesome. But compared to just 10 years ago, the pocket is essentially a “safe space.”
They will go into their game against the Los Angeles Rams as underdogs. The smart money will be on the Rams, and while we’ll see the line move in the Patriots’ favor leading up to the game, most commentators will buck the general sentiment and pick the Rams to step up and avenge their 2001 loss, the one that started Brady’s and Bill Belichick’s dynasty as perennial Super Bowl contestants.
We’re about to see history. It’s the final Super Bowl for the man and the team that defined the game in the modern era. Win or lose, their place at the top of the football world is cemented, permanent, and never to be matched. Until next season, at least.
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