When it comes to identifying the hallmarks of a Patriots dynasty that stretched over two decades, plenty of sentiment tends to start with a certain signal caller — and for good reason.
But an underrated strength of this franchise for years has been its sterling special teams play — with that unit’s execution, attention to detail and in-game smarts routinely swinging the momentum in New England’s favor when those opportunities presented themselves.
Not only has that group jumpstarted many fruitful drives and chances by way of a much-needed fumble recovery, it also built a reputation as a special-teams crew that made things difficult for the opposition.