New England Patriots Have the Luckiest Dynasty Ever
By Erik Lambert
Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski hoists the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Before anybody decides to rip the title apart, this article is not meant to attack the New England Patriots for their accomplishments. A team doesn’t win four Super Bowls by accident. Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and that organization deserve to go down as one of the greatest of all time.
However, looking back over their victories and their losses, what truly stands out about their run is the incredible swings of luck they had in the games. Both good and bad. Think about it.
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Having lost the lead against the Carolina Panthers with just 1:08 left, the Patriots are faced with the prospect of overtime. Then, out of nowhere, they are gift-wrapped an opportunity by Panthers kicker John Kasay, who sent the kickoff out of bounds. New England got the ball at their own 40-yard line and had enough time to drive down the field for a winning field goal.
Super Bowl XXXIX
The very next year the Patriots were seeking to become just the second team in NFL history to win three titles in four seasons. By the fourth quarter they held a solid 24-14 lead but their opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles had the ball with over five minutes to go. There was a lot of time. However, for some unknown reason, the Eagles failed to implement a no-huddle offense in order to conserve time. Though they eventually scored to cut the lead to 24-21, they had taken over three minutes off the clock.
The Patriots recovered the subsequent onside kick, forced the Eagles to use their timeouts and handed them the ball back with 46 seconds left and 96-yards to go. New England iced the game with an interception.
Super Bowl XLII
For all the good fortune they enjoyed between 2001 and 2004, the Patriots watched it turn against them in the worst possible fashion. Entering Super Bowl XLII, they had a chance to make history by finishing as the first team ever to go 19-0. All they had to do was beat a New York Giants team they had beaten earlier in the year.
Up 14-10 with two minutes left, it looked like they had the game won when their defense swarmed Giants quarterback Eli Manning, but the resilient youngster wriggled free and lofted a pass downfield to reserve receiver David Tyree, who proceeded to make the biggest circus catch arguably ever. The play kept their drive alive and New York would score shortly after, winning the game 17-14 and ended the Patriots’ bid for perfection.
Super Bowl XLVI
Same song, second verse. Once again the Patriots hoped to claim their fourth title by upending a seemingly inferior Giants team who went 9-7 during the regular season. Again New England had the lead 17-15 late in the fourth quarter. And yes, again Eli Manning set New York up for the upset with a freak pass play. This time it was a deep sideline tip-toe grab by reserve receiver Mario Manningham. The Giants drove down, ate up the clock and scored with just 57 seconds left. Brady’s final hail mary fell incomplete shortly after.
Super Bowl XLIX
Thus we come full circle. The New England Patriots erase a 10-point deficit against the Seattle Seahawks to take a 28-24 lead with two minutes left. Seattle responds with a drive keyed by two big pass plays. The first was a 31-yarder to Marshawn Lynch and the second was another crazy circus catch, this one a seemingly backbreaking 33-yarder to Jermaine Kearse that set the Seahawks up at the Patriots five yard line.
A Lynch run later it was down to one yard and Seattle had under a minute left and a timeout in their pocket. Everybody in the world, including New England felt they would give it Lynch again. Then, almost fittingly, the Patriots’ good fortune returned. The Seahawks elected to pass the ball instead and threw a crippling interception that lost them the game and handed the Patriots that long elusive fourth title.
Just goes to show it really is better to be lucky than good.