Far from perfect, Pats' season not over yet
Travis MacKenzie
Issue date: 11/13/07 Section: Sports
Who will stop the New England Patriots?
While it's hard to believe that anybody can defeat the team that could very well be the greatest in the history of American football, even the best properties in sports have had their struggles.
Muhammad Ali, recognized by many as the greatest boxer of all-time, lost twice in his absolute prime. The 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only team in the history of the National Football League (NFL) to have a perfect season, had six games out of their 17-0 campaign that were decided by seven points or less.
In the nine games which New England has won this season, in only one game have they won by less than 17 points. The major scare was their week nine win over the undefeated Indianapolis Colts, in which Patriots quarterback Tom Brady engineered a late comeback for a 24-20 win.
Though another couple of Patriots struggles seem inevitable before the season is out, who can actually challenge them? The obvious answer is the Colts, should the teams meet each other in the playoffs. That opportunity, however, would likely come at the Patriots' home field, Gillette Stadium.
The only other team in the American Football Conference (AFC) that appears to have the potential to surprise the Patriots is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who get their chance on December 9th. Pittsburgh's roster is very similar to the Steelers team that won Super Bowl XL, with nearly all the major players from that club, including Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu, still making an impact. That same core group of players also ended New England's NFL-record 21-game win streak in 2004. Can they stop another historic New England run?
To find a suitable challenger for the Patriots outside of the AFC, one would have to figure that the New York Giants would have the best chance. After losing their first two games, the Giants have won six straight. New York plays at home against New England on the final weekend of the NFL season.
As noted by ESPN.com columnist Bill Simmons, New England would likely have clinched home field throughout the playoffs by this point, meaning that head coach Bill Belichick would likely be inclined to rest many of his regulars, specifically Brady and superstar wide receiver Randy Moss. Conversely, the Giants might still be fighting for playoff seeding. If this turns out to be the case, New York will have an advantage in this matchup, provided Belichick decides not to risk player injuries in order to go after a perfect record.
Any other competitive Nationall Football Conference team will have to wait for the Super Bowl to play the Patriots. The two clubs that have already bested the Giants, the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers, would have the best chance of being this team.
Dallas has already played New England and, though the game was competitive at times, a 48-27 Patriots win was the final result. Hence, Green Bay provides the most intriguing challenge of any team for the Patriots. Packers quarterback Brett Favre has been hinting at retirement for years, yet always comes back and plays with his signature style, referred to by the media as a "gunslinger". Favre's play is both risky and exciting at the same time, which is exactly the style that is required to defeat a nearly unstoppable New England club.
Each of these teams will need to play the game of their life to defeat this New England outfit, at least they'll ensure the Pats' road to Super Bowl XLII is a difficult one.
While it's hard to believe that anybody can defeat the team that could very well be the greatest in the history of American football, even the best properties in sports have had their struggles.
Muhammad Ali, recognized by many as the greatest boxer of all-time, lost twice in his absolute prime. The 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only team in the history of the National Football League (NFL) to have a perfect season, had six games out of their 17-0 campaign that were decided by seven points or less.
In the nine games which New England has won this season, in only one game have they won by less than 17 points. The major scare was their week nine win over the undefeated Indianapolis Colts, in which Patriots quarterback Tom Brady engineered a late comeback for a 24-20 win.
Though another couple of Patriots struggles seem inevitable before the season is out, who can actually challenge them? The obvious answer is the Colts, should the teams meet each other in the playoffs. That opportunity, however, would likely come at the Patriots' home field, Gillette Stadium.
The only other team in the American Football Conference (AFC) that appears to have the potential to surprise the Patriots is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who get their chance on December 9th. Pittsburgh's roster is very similar to the Steelers team that won Super Bowl XL, with nearly all the major players from that club, including Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu, still making an impact. That same core group of players also ended New England's NFL-record 21-game win streak in 2004. Can they stop another historic New England run?
To find a suitable challenger for the Patriots outside of the AFC, one would have to figure that the New York Giants would have the best chance. After losing their first two games, the Giants have won six straight. New York plays at home against New England on the final weekend of the NFL season.
As noted by ESPN.com columnist Bill Simmons, New England would likely have clinched home field throughout the playoffs by this point, meaning that head coach Bill Belichick would likely be inclined to rest many of his regulars, specifically Brady and superstar wide receiver Randy Moss. Conversely, the Giants might still be fighting for playoff seeding. If this turns out to be the case, New York will have an advantage in this matchup, provided Belichick decides not to risk player injuries in order to go after a perfect record.
Any other competitive Nationall Football Conference team will have to wait for the Super Bowl to play the Patriots. The two clubs that have already bested the Giants, the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers, would have the best chance of being this team.
Dallas has already played New England and, though the game was competitive at times, a 48-27 Patriots win was the final result. Hence, Green Bay provides the most intriguing challenge of any team for the Patriots. Packers quarterback Brett Favre has been hinting at retirement for years, yet always comes back and plays with his signature style, referred to by the media as a "gunslinger". Favre's play is both risky and exciting at the same time, which is exactly the style that is required to defeat a nearly unstoppable New England club.
Each of these teams will need to play the game of their life to defeat this New England outfit, at least they'll ensure the Pats' road to Super Bowl XLII is a difficult one.
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