Regarding football and the Patriots

It really is hard to win two years in a row or several years within a decade. The New England Patriots have been to the Super Bowl in the following seasons (note the Bowl itself is actually in the following year): 1985, 1996, 2001, 2003, and 2004. The Patriots were losers in the first two, but winners in the past three. The 2001 Super Bowl, actually held on February 3, 2002, was against the much favored St. Louis Rams with their extremely powerful offense and good defense. The Patriots that year had an excellent, unpredictable, disruptive defense, typical of the Bellichick years and what we have seen from them since, and a relatively unknown, but respectably good, offense. That next year, 2002, the Patriots were much better, numerically, on offense, but erratic as a team. They straightened that out and had two terrific, dominating, Super Bowl winning years. Since then, they have been division champions each year, and have passed at least the first round each year, beating Jacksonville in the January 2006 playoffs before bowing to Denver, then beating the New York Jets and the San Diego Chargers before losing to the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts have also been a very fine team over the years, but just could not quite get over the hump until this year, and it was usually the Patriots they could not quite get past.

The Pittsburg Steelers have had a long run of good, respectable teams, too, and one Super Bowl, but they look to me like they are in at least moderate rebuilding mode.

The Patriots need to tune up their team a bit or they will be fading fast in a year or two due to aging players. But right now, only the New York Jets mount any serious challenge, and unless they pull a rabbit out of their hat, they are no match yet for the Patriots.

On the Patriots, it looks like Corey Dillon will either retire or possibly go one more year with someone else. New England will rely more on Lawrence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, and their other backs. In the receiver corps, it looks like their second round pick, Chad Jackson, did not work out. It remains to be seen if he will. Receivers are plentiful this year, and the Patriots ought to look for one or two of them.

Patriots really need a refresh at linebacker, where their players are definitely aging. Safety and cornerback could also use some bolstering. I think they should use a mix of drafts, free agents, and who knows, given the right situation, even a trade.

Offensive and defensive lines are really solid. Barring injuries, no problems on either line.