It’s a fascinating time in the history of the New England Patriots franchise these days.
What was once a perennial afterthought in the old AFL and modern NFL became the league’s resident juggernaut superpower at the turn of the millennium thanks to the arrival of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
The Pats went on an incredible run from about 2001 to 2007ish before cooling off a bit between 2008 and 2013. They were still top contenders during that second era, but it was around that time that people started openly wondering if maybe the three titles in the early dynasty were all this dynamic duo might be able to muster.