New England Patriots Logo

New England Patriots Logo, The New England Patriots, commonly called the “Pats,” are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The team changed its name from the original Boston Patriots after relocating to Foxborough in 1971, although Foxborough is a suburb of Boston, 22 miles (35 km) away.

An original member of the American Football League (AFL), the Patriots joined the NFL in the 1970 merger of those leagues. The team advanced to the playoffs four times before appearing in Super Bowl XX in January 1986, losing to the Chicago Bears. The team also appeared in Super Bowl XXXI in January 1997, losing to the Green Bay Packers.

In the 2000s, the Patriots became one of the most successful teams in NFL history. They are third in appearances in a Super Bowl with seven (the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys each have 8), and have the most appearances in the last 25 years. Between 2001-2010, the Patriots set a record for most wins in a decade (126, different from conventionally bounded decades, 2000-2009, 1990-1999, etc.; this record references any ten-year stretch; 2nd is the 1984-1993 San Francisco 49ers, with 120 wins). Between 2001 and 2005, the Patriots became the second team in NFL history (after the Dallas Cowboys) to win three Super Bowls in four years (Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX), and the eighth (and most recent) to win consecutive Super Bowls. The Patriots, however, were defeated by the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII, after winning the first 18 games of their 2007 season. They were defeated again by the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI. Under quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots have also compiled the longest winning streak consisting of regular season and playoff games in NFL history, a 21-game streak from October 2003 – October 2004.

New England Patriots

New England Patriots, Mike Reiss shares some quick hit thoughts from the Patriots and around the NFL.

1. When it comes to Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light and a potential retirement, I think that he is seriously considering it but has yet to come to a final decision. Light is under contract for $3.4 million next season, which is a bargain for the Patriots if he decides to return. I’m not sure Light is the type of player who would be enticed to return by a contract sweetener, but the Patriots could go that route in an attempt to persuade him if they feel he’s a key cog to have in 2012.

2. One theory floated at the NFL combine is that the Patriots’ AFC East rivals will be aggressive in targeting the safety spot aggressively this offseason. The reason: Rob Gronkowski. The league hasn’t seen that type of tight end matchup issue in some time, which puts more of a premium on finding a unique safety with the ability to hang with him.

4. With the Patriots having their top two centers (Dan Koppen & Dan Connolly) scheduled for unrestricted free agency, my sense is that they would like to lock up at least one of them before free agency begins. If they don’t, they leave themselves in a bit of a vulnerable spot.

6. Patriots defensive end Mark Anderson’s free-agent status reminds me of Tully Banta-Cain’s in the 2010 offseason. Banta-Cain had come to New England on a one-year, prove-it deal and produced 10 sacks, which helped him land a solid three-year extension in ’10. That is almost the same way it unfolded with Anderson. With teams playing more sub packages these days, Anderson is in line for a nice raise, similar to Banta-Cain.

7. If I had to sum up what coaches and scouts from around the NFL believe the Patriots need most, based on casual discussions at the combine, the answers are an outside receiver and more athletes on defense. Some feel too much pressure is placed on quarterback Tom Brady because of those deficiencies. I’d add a kickoff returner to the list.

8. Similar to trading for Deion Branch last year, which was a situation in which Branch had more value to the Patriots than the league’s other teams, free-agent receiver Brandon Lloyd is in the same category this offseason. Projecting how a receiver will transition into the Patriots’ system is a challenge, but since Lloyd has already done it under McDaniels in Denver and St. Louis, that should increase the team’s comfort level in pursuing him. Lloyd would add a lot to the offense and he seems to want to play in New England — if the price is right. He’s leaped over Reggie Wayne as my top free-agent option for the team.

10. Barring a late change, look for running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis to make it to the open market on March 13, with the possibility of his return to New England remaining open. It appears the Patriots have set a value on Green-Ellis, and it’s not at a level that has Green-Ellis ready to sign before seeing what interest he might generate on the open market.

New England Patriots

New England Patriots, New England Patriots’ fans are uneasy about the possibility of confrontations with the Steelers and the Ravens.

For starters, it’s probably going to work out that way. So let’s just expect it.

Second of all, this is a good Super Bowl path to take. Yes, the odds of us getting to the Super Bowl would be dramatically decreased. We know this. But until the day they invent that memory-wiping thing from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I’ll continue being haunted by Super Bowl XLII. And so will the Patriots.

There’s no point of getting back to the Super Bowl if they’re not bringing the Lombardi trophy on a parade through Boston.

And there’s no point in getting to the big game if we’re not going to believe in our team.

Right now, we don’t believe in them. Not completely.

Nearly every win this season was difficult to get. The Redskins, the Colts, the Cowboys, the Dolphins, and the Bills gave us all we could handle, and those teams didn’t even make the playoffs.

Never once did Patriots’ fans recline in their chairs, prop their feet up, crack open a beer in satisfaction, and enjoy the game. Every week was a potential migraine-inducing blunder. Every game was an uphill battle.

Only in Week 10, right after our second victory over the Jets, did Patriots’ fans entertain the notion that the Patriots could be destined for something terrific.

Beating the Steelers and the Ravens would change everything about the perception of this team. More importantly, it’ll change the mindset of the Patriots. They’ll feel ready to run through a brick wall for that trophy. That’s the team we want.