Patriot dynasty?

[The Ancient Enemy]

Ham, it's a cop out excuse. You're covering up for the kid. He played like **** in those last couple games. You can't just keep giving him a free pass like he has no experience. He played all season. Just admit that he's overrated. You wait till next year when they lose Burress and don't get a downfield threat and the defense can crowd the box. Heinz Ward is not going to win you a Super Bowl. Ben is about to go through rookie woes in his second season, as strange as that is. I like him, I want Pittsburgh to win the Super Bowl, but I'm telling you right now that team is not making the playoffs next season.

[count2infinity]

wow...he lead a team to the AFC championship game, but yet he's overrated. It doesn't matter if he's a rookie a 5-6 year pro or a veteran qb...winning that many games in a row is impressive. they lost to a good team end of story!

[ham55]

It's not a cop out excuse at all, and he is NOT overrated. How much are you willing to bet that they don't make the playoffs next year? Will they fall off, yes, how many teams do you know that are able to go 15-1 every year, but they will definately be playing in the postseason next year. I don't know what your objective is here...

[CRdiscman]

No i completly agree with AE....... If u loose Burress you loose the downfield threat...... I feel they will make it to the playoffs next year but thats about all they will go, to the playoffs..... i'm a huge pittsburgh fan, and i hope that they work with Ben, bigtime in the offseason

[once a runner]

I guess I'll stick up for the old timers here.....football did exist before the super bowl. Teams played for the NFL championship back then. The Packers did win 3 titles in a row (the last NFL championship in 65 and the first 2 super bowls. Not to mention championships in 61 and 62. I'd say 3 in a row and 5 in 7 years tops any recent dynasty.

Now I'm sure the salary cap will get argued. But consider this, nobody else in the history of the league was able to put up those kind of numbers in a 7 year stretch. The salary cap works both ways.....it can cause you to lose good players, but it also allows you to go out and get veteran players till fill weaknesses. In the old days, you had to do that either through the draft or by way of trade.

[ham55]

But the NFL today is judged by Superbowl performance and that is what dynasties are determined by today. I agree, the Packers are the greatest dynasty in all of football, where do all the players want to play on a Sunday late in January? It's a dream of alot of players to play on 'the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field'. Tradition isn't just brought out of nowhere, but just as the Pack ruled the 60's, the Steelers ruled the 70's, the 49ers's ruled the 80's and the Cowboys ruled the 90's, the Patriots are slowly begining to rule the first decade of the new century. 3 in 4, as much as I hate to admit it, you can not argue with that success.

[The Ancient Enemy]

It was a good run, but Ben came back down to Earth, as hard as that is for you guys to believe. But you CAN NOT act like he's the greatest quarterback in the world and then give him free passes behind the "oh he's a rookie it's okay" crap. I'm not talking about the 15-1 thing turning into a 13-3 thing and calling it a worse season. I'm telling you Pittsburgh won't even make the playoffs. You cannot openly proclaim to be a running team, and have a downfield threat, and then lose that downfield threat and expect to be as potent as a running offense. It's too easy to figure out.

You are the same guys who after next season will be saying that Charlie Batch or some other bozo should be the starting quarterback. In fact, I won't even give it that long, till the end of the season.

But like I said, make no mistake, I want Pittsburgh to win. I'm just being realistic about it.

[ham55]

I will never opt for Charlie Batch or Brian St. Pierre, if that's what you're going for here. Big Ben is the guy, the man, for this team. You're not being realistic, to think that they won't win the AFC North next year is insane, barring some miraculous offensive change next year in Baltimore, they will always be second teir to the Steelers, at least in the near future. Colts, Pats, Steelers, and Chiefs will win the AFC Conference championships this year, Chargers and Jets will be WildCard's.

[The Ancient Enemy]

Already calling the division champions and wildcards? Isn't KC supposed to win it EVERY year? And there IS a miraculous change in that Baltimore offense. They just brought in Rick Neuhisel as a QUARTERBACKS coach. Do you not remember how much better Boller got at the end of the season? Baltimore will win the divsion.

[AUSTIN_22:22]

baltimore will not win the division next year. their defense is on the decline. didnt they lose their DC this offseason? ray lewis is no longer the best player on that defense. i agree they will be better on offense. they really couldnt have been much worse. they certainly need a reciever or 2 much more than the steelers.

plax is going to be a hot commondity this offseason. he will get a premium deal. no way will the steelers invest that kind of cheese into 2 wr's (ward and burress). i think the eagles will make a strong move to try to get burress. they need a second wr if they want to win a championship.

same for the steelers. when they dont resign burress, they have to bring a good second option from somewhere.

about the pats' dynasty, i think of these things by the decade. green bay in the 60's, steelers 70's, 49er's 80's, cowboy's in the 90's. at the end of this decade, if there isnt a team that wins 4-5 superbowls, then i say the pats own the 00's.