Pats Posits: Ramblings From a Sixth Super Bowl Afterglow

Today for us is what NFL fans all hope to one day live. That one Monday where you just won the Super Bowl, exhausted and emotionally spent but for just a moment all is right in our football universe.

As Patriots fans we’ve gotten more than our fair share and every single one is just as delightful as the first.

There’s no more “we’ll see” or “yeah, but”, all the criticism that we’ve heard over the past year has been silenced. Sony Michel was worth a first round pick. Julian Edelman is still clutch and uncoverable. The defense was one of the best they’ve ever had. Gronk fought through injuries and came through when it counted most. Tom Brady was still Tom Brady.

But most importantly, the Patriots are still the Patriots. Oh yes they are.

Now they’ve got six rings, enough to answer any lame attempt aimed at minimizing how impressive this dynasty has been, the whip cream and cherries just keep getting piled on top of each other of this dynastic sundae.

The losses to the Giants and last year’s to the Eagles? Distant memories that barely move the needle. All are now chapters in a rollercoaster tale of NFL domination that has lasted almost two decades. And what a rollercoaster it has been.

Slowly I’m wrapping my head around what this sixth Super Bowl means on so many levels. All I can do is bang out a bunch of Posits as my mind skips around all things Patriots dynasty.

1. The defense holding to the Rams to just three points is just such an unexpected and welcomed storyline. I thought they were really solid at home all year but wondered if that team could show up in an AFC Championship in Kansas City and then at a Super Bowl in Atlanta. They put in a perfect first half in KC, and hung on despite giving up 31 second-half points. Against the Rams it’s was the shutdown defense for the entire game. The defense has been so maligned in recent years as the weak link behind Brady, but they led the way against the Rams.
2. Brian Flores deserves a lot of credit. I’m bummed we only get one season of this Patriots defense. He put together a defense that was more consistent and aggressive than they were under Matt Patricia who preferred to strangle teams out with a lot of the maddening Bend Don’t Break. Flores’ defense didn’t concede yards like Patricia’s did. It will be interesting to see which direction the Pats go, whether it’s Greg Schiano or Brett Bielema.
3. I need to give each of the six Super Bowl wins a title to keep track of them. (Work in Progress)
   1. 2001 – The Underdogs
   2. 2003 – The Defense
   3. 2004 – The Dynasty – Part One
   4. 2014 – The Redemption
   5. 2016 – The Impossible Comeback
   6. 2018 – The Dynasty – Part Two
4. I love the symmetry of it all. That the Rams went through an entire generation and relocation to make it back to face the Patriots again. That the Rams wore their throwbacks. That it was the defense that led the way just like they did in 2001. That Chung broke his arm in the third game like Rodney Harrison did against the Eagles. So many threads.
5. If this is the last game for Gronk he went out like a champ, coming through with one of the clutch plays needed to win this title. The Pats don’t win this game without Gronk which feels good considering he was being put into retirement in the middle of the season.
6. Julian Edelman only added to his legend in this Super Bowl, doing really the last thing he needed to do to secure his place as a Hall of Famer — winning the MVP. Again, it’s the Hall of Fame no the Hall of Consistent Regular Season Stats. He’s had iconic performances that will be shown in Canton forever. His bust will be there too.
7. I really don’t want to make this about anything other than snuggling in a post-Super-Bowl win haze, but there’s a lot of potential for change this offseason. Trey Flowers, Trent Brown, Gronk the biggest questions. We’ll worry about that later.
8. Dont’a Hightower is another who only ascended to another level in Patriots’ history. He has to be right there with Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Willie McGinest as the Mount Rushmore of dynasty linebackers. He came along a little slow this year but he was there looking as fearsome as ever when it all counted. Three QB hits and two sacks says is all.
9. What a find Kyle Van Noy has been. I don’t know where the Patriots defense would be without him. He made everyone instantly forget about Jamie Collins. He added a sack and three QB hits himself. When the linebackers are leading the way, the Patriots defense is at its best.
10. John Simon looks like another find, I expect he’ll be an easy re-sign who could possibly follow the Ninkovich development plan.
11. Stephon Gilmore put his name up there with Ty Law and Malcolm Butler, grabbing the key interception in the fourth quarter that held the Rams from scoring. He was the key piece, but the secondary played their best game of the year. It’s even more impressive considering they lost Chung. Thank Hoodie that didn’t happen against the Chiefs with Kelce.
12. At this point, does it really matter what happens this offseason and beyond? Getting to see anything more out of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady is an absolute gift. We’re beyond spoiled as fans and it’s been such a blast. I don’t even know what storylines are left to be written, but we know it will be dramatic and unexpected like it always is.