The New England Patriots have made playing in early February a customary occurrence over the last few years, as this trip to the Super Bowl is their third in the last four seasons.
New York Giants former Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall believes this is proof that competitive balance has been eliminated from the league, according to Shalise Manza Young of Shutdown Corner.
How long have Bill Belichick and Tom Brady been together?,” Marshall asked his co-hosts.
“Eighteen years,” they responded.
“Eighteen years. Almost 20 years doing this together. The league is not competitive. We all should be ashamed. Even you guys that’s been covering them on TV should be ashamed,” Marshall began, his voice rising.
The Patriots have been the league's standard bearers for nearly two decades, with 12 trips to the AFC Championship game and eight Super Bowl appearances. Over the last 17 years, New England has 15 trips to the playoffs while winning the AFC East in each of those campaigns, holding a league-best active record of nine straight division titles.
They also hold the longest streak of 17 straight seasons with a winning record since 1970, surpassing the Dallas Cowboys (1970-1985) and San Francisco 49ers (1983-1998) marks of 16 in a row. New England also recorded their seventh season with at least 13 victories, which is the second-most 13-win seasons in NFL history behind San Francisco (nine).
Marshall's strong stance isn't a shot at the Patriots by any means; rather, he's underlining the fact that the rest of the NFL, or at least the AFC, hasn't been able to consistently top them in the postseason. It doesn't speak to the lack of competitiveness, but the dominance that New England has enjoyed with Tom Brady under center and head coach Bill Belichick on the sideline.
The fact they were able to reach the Super Bowl once again with their star quarterback now in his 40s further emphasizes what the Patriots have built over the last 18 seasons. The only question that lingers is how much longer New England can maintain this success before Brady's career ends.
Follow Us
Subscribe