The New England Patriots are in their eighth Super Bowl overall and their sixth since the 2001 season and seek a dynasty-defining win.
Super Bowl XLIX marks the sixth time coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have taken the New England Patriots to the big game at the end, but their legacy may very well be defined by getting a victory over the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.
The only historical parallel is the 1970s Dallas Cowboys, who went to six Super Bowls under Tom Landry—but lost four of them.
More from New England Patriots
- Patriots backup plan for DeAndre Hopkins is a shot in the dark
- NFL rumors: Patriots screwed themselves with DeAndre Hopkins pursuit
- Bill O’Brien arrival did not end the road for one disliked Patriots coach
- 3 biggest mistakes from the NFL offseason
- NFL Rumors: Dalvin Cook free agency complicated by court filing
That team is considered one of the best teams ever, but isn’t in the conversation as one of the truly elite runs in NFL annals.
Belichick and Brady teamed up for a stretch of three Super Bowl wins in four seasons, following the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons—joining the Cowboys of the 1990s as the only teams to pull off that feat.
But the last two times the Patriots got to the Super Bowl, they were beaten as huge favorites by the New York Giants—including the February 2008 loss at the site of this year’s Super Bowl, University of Phoenix Stadium, that ended New England’s quest for the first 19-0 season on record.
The Patriots have pulled off a bit of Lazarus act this season. Following a humiliating 41-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on the last Monday in September, there was legitimate discussion about how much Brady had left in the tank and whether the Pats’ run—11 consecutive seasons with at least 10 regular-season wins and 11 postseason berths in 13 seasons—was in jeopardy.
Yeah, not so much with the whole “dying dynasty” thing.
The Pats rallied to go 10-2 over their last 12 games, with the only losses being a tough-fought 26-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 13 and a meaningless 17-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 17 when home-field advantage had already been clinched.
As for Brady, he threw for 4,109 yards and 33 touchdowns—pretty spry for a quarterback written off for dead after four games.
Having a healthy Rob Gronkowski in 2014 helped the Patriots. The All-Pro tight end and party animal caught 82 passes for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns in just 15 games during the regular season.
That came after he was limited to 18 games total over the last two seasons.
The last time Gronk was healthy for a full season, New England wound up in the Super Bowl, as well.
Here’s a brief look at the season that was.
September
New England struggled to a 2-2 start, losing road games at the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 and the Chiefs in Week 4, while picking up a win at the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 and a less-than-scintillating home-opening win over the Oakland Raiders in Week 3.
October
The Patriots rolled to four straight wins in October, including two blowouts—43-17 over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5 and 51-23 over the Chicago Bears in Week 8.
Tom Brady threw for a season-high 361 yards in a 37-22 victory on the road over the Bills in Week 6 and the Patriots also staved off an upset bid by the lowly New York Jets in Week 7, surviving when Geno Smith’s two-point conversion pass with 2:31 to go was incomplete and when Chandler Jones blocked Nick Folk’s 58-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
November
New England ran its winning streak to seven games with drubbings of the Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions before falling to the Packers at Lambeau Field 26-21 in Week 13.
The Patriots came out of November with a 9-3 record and the inside track to another AFC East title after beating the Bears, Broncos, Colts and Lions by a combined score of 170-73.
December
The Patriots won at the San Diego Chargers in Week 14 and returned the favor to the Dolphins in Week 15 with a 41-13 win at home before locking up home-field advantage with a 17-16 win over the Jets in Week 16. The season ended with a 17-9 loss to Buffalo, with rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo doing most of the heavy lifting for the offense.
Playoffs
New England is in the Super Bowl after a come-from-behind 35-31 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Playoffs and a controversial 45-7 drubbing of the Colts in the AFC Championship.
Controversial? We’re going on two weeks and the air still hasn’t been let out of the latest scandal.
Stat Watch
Total Offense: 365.5 yards per game (11th)
Rushing Offense: 107.9 yards per game (18th)
Passing Offense: 257.6 yards per game (ninth)
Scoring Offense: 29.3 points per game (fourth)
Total Defense: 344.1 yards per game (13th)
Rushing Defense: 104.3 yards per game (ninth)
Passing Defense: 239.8 yards per game (17th)
Turnover Ratio: plus-12 (tied for second)
Third-Down Conversions: 98-for-221, 44.3 percent (sixth)
Third-Down Defense: 84-for-209, 40.2 percent (16th)
Individual Leaders
Passing: Tom Brady 64.1 Comp Pct; 4,109 yards, 33 TD, 9 INT, 21 sacks
Rushing: Jonas Gray 89 carries, 412 yards, five touchdowns
Receiving: Rob Gronkowski 82 rec, 130 tgt, 1,124 yards, TD; Julian Edelman 92 rec, 135 tgt, 972 yards, 4 TD
Sacks: Rob Ninkovich 8
Interceptions: Jamie Collins, Devin McCourty, Darrelle Revis, 2 each
More from FanSided
- Joe Burrow owes Justin Herbert a thank you note after new contract
- Chiefs gamble at wide receiver could already be biting them back
- Braves-Red Sox start time: Braves rain delay in Boston on July 25
- Yankees: Aaron Boone gives optimistic return date for Aaron Judge
- MLB Rumors: Yankees-Phillies trade showdown, Mariners swoop, India goes to Seattle