New England Patriots
The Patriots really would need to dig up anything and everything in order to try and find headlines entering this AFC title game against the Chiefs. After all, if people have doubts about an unproven team, that would generally likely be the Chiefs.
Why? Because the Chiefs are making only their second AFC Championship Game appearance since winning Super Bowl IV back in the 1969-70 season. Other than the Houston Texans, who have only been in existence for a little more than a decade and a half, no other team has gone so few times in the entire AFC. The only other team in the NFL who has been there so infrequently during that stretch was the Detroit Lions, who only made it to the NFC title game once in that period, back in the 1991 season. There are other teams who have made it that far only two times during that stretch, the Cardinals and the Bengals. But both of those franchises enjoyed more success, having each reached the Super Bowl (twice in the case of the Bengals).
Meanwhile, the Patriots have been to the last eight straight AFC title games, which is easily, far and away a new record. This is a team that has raised new bars and set all new kinds of incredible records in the last two decades, with the winningest span of 18 straight seasons of any NFL team in history. During that time leading into this game later today, they went to eight Super Bowls, won five of them, won the AFC East division title in all but two seasons since 2001. People do not doubt that they can keep winning, but many are clearly so sick of them, and just hope that someone can end their reign. At times, certain teams have done it. But it should be noted that, since 2001, only four AFC teams - The Broncos (three times), the Ravens (twice), the Jets (once), and the Colts (once) have actually managed to eliminate the Pats from the playoffs before they reached the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, the Patriots have been to the last eight straight AFC title games, which is easily, far and away a new record. This is a team that has raised new bars and set all new kinds of incredible records in the last two decades, with the winningest span of 18 straight seasons of any NFL team in history. During that time leading into this game later today, they went to eight Super Bowls, won five of them, won the AFC East division title in all but two seasons since 2001. People do not doubt that they can keep winning, but many are clearly so sick of them, and just hope that someone can end their reign. At times, certain teams have done it. But it should be noted that, since 2001, only four AFC teams - The Broncos (three times), the Ravens (twice), the Jets (once), and the Colts (once) have actually managed to eliminate the Pats from the playoffs before they reached the Super Bowl.
Clearly, KC cannot remotely compete with that kind of consistency. Sure, they have had some winning regular seasons in recent years, under the tutelage of Andy Reid, who is undeniably a solid coach. But he also has produced only two wins to date for the Chiefs, and that includes last weekend's win over the Colts. So, the Chiefs are not a proven entity, despite all of their considerable success this season thus far. They could change that with a huge win against the New England Patriots this weekend. Until they do, however, the doubts will persist.
New England is still trying to cast themselves as the underdogs, however. What else can they do? An underdog story tends to be more interesting and inspirational than the same old same old team winning yet another championship. It is a far better narrative, understandably, and so everyone wants to be in that role. How can you possibly truly seem inspirational when you are clearly favored to win, after all. Almost the only thing that you can do is disappoint such lofty expectations, because if you win, than it was what everyone expected. So, unless you win in somehow record fashion, or perhaps in dramatic fashion (as the Patriots did in the Super Bowl win over Atlanta, overcoming a 28-3 deficit in so doing), then it will likely fail to earn people's interests. Even when a favored team squeaks away with a win, like the Pats did with the Falcons, or like the legendary Joe Montana-era 49ers did against Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII, the question that some have to ask is how they put themselves in that kind of position to have to pull off a dramatic win against an inferior team in the first place.
In fact, despite their official status as underdogs, and despite their own desire to be cast in the role of disrespected and overlooked team, nobody is really overlooking or forgetting about them. In fact, despite officially being underdogs, many people - perhaps a majority - are kind of expecting them to win. That includes yours truly. That's something that New England players probably would want to keep from everyone, because they would like to sell the notion that they are somehow overlooked and/or forgotten and/or being disrespected. But it is hard to forget about the team that has been to three of the last four Super Bowls, and won two of them, both in dramatic fashion. Hard to forget about Belichick and Brady, who have won five Super Bowls together, and enjoyed unprecedented success. Hard to overlook a team that has made a habit of overachieving, especially when the team that they are going against has a long history of doing the exact opposite, and underachieving. The burden of proof, at least as I see it, will be on the Chiefs, and not on the Patriots. New England has secured their legacy as winners, regardless of whether or not they win later today. But Kansas City hoped to build a new legacy, and they have enjoyed some enormous success so far this season in that process. Whether or not they actually can cement that legacy and be remembered for something truly special really hinges on whether or not they can be the team to defeat the Patriots later today.
New England is still trying to cast themselves as the underdogs, however. What else can they do? An underdog story tends to be more interesting and inspirational than the same old same old team winning yet another championship. It is a far better narrative, understandably, and so everyone wants to be in that role. How can you possibly truly seem inspirational when you are clearly favored to win, after all. Almost the only thing that you can do is disappoint such lofty expectations, because if you win, than it was what everyone expected. So, unless you win in somehow record fashion, or perhaps in dramatic fashion (as the Patriots did in the Super Bowl win over Atlanta, overcoming a 28-3 deficit in so doing), then it will likely fail to earn people's interests. Even when a favored team squeaks away with a win, like the Pats did with the Falcons, or like the legendary Joe Montana-era 49ers did against Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII, the question that some have to ask is how they put themselves in that kind of position to have to pull off a dramatic win against an inferior team in the first place.
In fact, despite their official status as underdogs, and despite their own desire to be cast in the role of disrespected and overlooked team, nobody is really overlooking or forgetting about them. In fact, despite officially being underdogs, many people - perhaps a majority - are kind of expecting them to win. That includes yours truly. That's something that New England players probably would want to keep from everyone, because they would like to sell the notion that they are somehow overlooked and/or forgotten and/or being disrespected. But it is hard to forget about the team that has been to three of the last four Super Bowls, and won two of them, both in dramatic fashion. Hard to forget about Belichick and Brady, who have won five Super Bowls together, and enjoyed unprecedented success. Hard to overlook a team that has made a habit of overachieving, especially when the team that they are going against has a long history of doing the exact opposite, and underachieving. The burden of proof, at least as I see it, will be on the Chiefs, and not on the Patriots. New England has secured their legacy as winners, regardless of whether or not they win later today. But Kansas City hoped to build a new legacy, and they have enjoyed some enormous success so far this season in that process. Whether or not they actually can cement that legacy and be remembered for something truly special really hinges on whether or not they can be the team to defeat the Patriots later today.
Who believes in the Patriots? Almost everyone, actually by Kevin Van Valkenburg, ESPN Senior Writer, January 17, 2019:
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