Can the Pats finally achieve perfection?

In 2008, the Patriots juggernaut, led by franchise QB Tom Brady, came within a whisker of emulating the undefeated 1972 Dolphins team and achieving perfection with a 19-0 season.

What Belichick and co. didn’t foresee was the improbable comeback by the underdog New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII, as Eli Manning and his troops fought back to win the Vince Lombardi trophy 17-14.

The promise land of an 19-0 season still remains untouched by an NFL franchise, with the only team ever to go unbeaten, the ‘72 Dolphins, having done so during a shorter 14-game schedule.

But, four years on from their bitter defeat in Arizona, are New England ready to banish the demons that have haunted them since that lonely February night at the University of Phoenix Stadium, and fulfil their quest for flawlessness?

Last year, with Brady back at full fitness, having missed the 2008 season through injury,  the Pats began to look like the same impervious team who had dominated the rest of the NFL with an unstoppable offense three years previously.

The only blemishes on their regular season record were a punishing defeat to fierce division rivals the New York Jets in week two, and a surprise hammering by the Browns in week nine.

After cruising into the play-offs as number one seeds in the AFC, thanks, in no small part, to a 45-3 rout of the Jets in their return fixture at Gillette Stadium in week 13, most experts couldn’t see any team stopping their march towards a fifth Super Bowl appearance in ten years.

But Belichick’s bitter nemesis, Rex Ryan, and his indomitable Jets, had other ideas. For the second time that season they stifled Brady and the Pats offense, ending New England’s season with a 28-21 victory in the Divisional play-off.

However, considering it was Tom Brady’s second season back after surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee, with another year under his belt, could the Pats be unstoppable once again?

Looking at next season’s schedule, the toughest opponents they are likely to face are the Chargers, Cowboys, Steelers, Giants, Colts, Eagles, and, of course, their biggest divisional rival, the Jets. However, considering how much of a fortress Gillette Stadium has been – last year they were 8-0 in the regular season – Belichick will be confident of beating the Chargers, Cowboys, Giants and Colts.

That leaves tricky match-ups against Super Bowl runners-up Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, Mike Vick’s Philadelphia and the visit to the New Meadowlands.

In recent seasons, Brady and co. have had the Steelers’ number – coming away victorious on six occasions to the Steelers’ two in their meetings over the past 10 years. At Heinz Field their record is even more impressive – having won on four of their past five visits there.

The Pats have proved they can beat the Jets, but, despite having a good record at the Meadowlands in the last decade, they have struggled there in recent seasons. If they do prevail against New York in week 10, I don’t see the Eagles stopping them en-route to another 16-0 season with the kind of momentum victory against their bitter rivals will give them.

And if they take that into the play-offs, well, it’s often a lottery, but there’s no reason why they couldn’t go all the way with the kind of intensity, confidence and steely persona Brady showed last season. It’s certainly a long-shot, but having been there before, they’re a team with the experience to finally take that extra step and pull off the near-impossible.

Content courtesy of Sam Tonkin