The New England Patriots at 8-0 are currently undefeated. It is only fitting to start talking about the possibility of an undefeated Super Bowl as they get ready to face the team that has been their Achilles-heel for the past decade. In their last four meetings the New York Giants have won three games, including two miraculous and devastating Super Bowl wins over the Patriots. The 2007 Super Bowl win ultimately stopped what would have been known as potentially the greatest sports team of all time, as a 19-0 season was spoiled.
Many Patriots fans this season have observed how amazing the Patriots have been. The tandem of Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski seem impossible for defenses to stop. The linebackers have become freak athletes and simply incredible. Tom Brady has been playing at a ridiculous level ever since the deflategate scandal was brought up. In the previous Super Bowl, he had an 8-for-8 game winning drive and since then has thrown for 22 touchdown passes and just two interceptions.
In short, the team looks unstoppable right now, especially with the rest of the NFL seemingly having a historically down year as far as the quality of opposition. The undefeated talk is not totally unwarranted. However, due to the pressure it caused on the 2007 team, many New England fans have become afraid of an undefeated season. Many even want the Patriots to lose a game so that the pressure will be alleviated for the playoffs.
Patriots fans: I feel your anxiety when it comes to thinking about an undefeated season. I was crushed as a kid when I watched ‘David Tyree helmet catch’ spoil the undefeated season. However, we should not fear the potentiality of the pressure of an undefeated season. Coach Belichick would know how to handle the team better this time around, and the bad memories of the spoiled undefeated season would ultimately dissipate if we were to make it happen this time.
I am not claiming I totally expect an undefeated season from the Patriots. While I am hopeful, ultimately as a fan the only care I have concerning the Patriots is to repeat to win the Super Bowl. Fans should not fear the undefeated season; it would act as a bit of an exorcism of all the negativity and bad memories of 2007. No longer would Patriots fans have that 18-1 hurt thrown in our face. There would be no better way for this cleansing to continue than for the Patriots this week to beat the team that ruined it all last time, the Giants. While we view this game as part of the broader scheme, the Patriots, as always, will do their best to win in the way they always have: one week at a time.
Just a warning: this is a dangerous game for the Patriots though.