Are the New England Patriots in a Slump?

People have been saying that the New York Yankees have been in a slump after not winning a World Series since 2000. The team won the American League East every year but last season, yet are in a slump. The fact that the Boston Red Sox have won two World Series in four years probably goes pretty far in the argument. The question is this: are the New England Patriots in a slump too?

After the Patriots brought Super Bowl victories home to Gillette Stadium three times in four years from 2001 to 2004, they have been to only one. Is not winning a Super Bowl in three years a slump?

For a team that finished 16-0 last season and failed to win the Super Bowl it may seem so. Another to look at it is that it took a perfect season to get Bill Belichick back in the big game. The team may have finished in first every since 2001, but they is not have the same bite or feeling of destiny until last season that had marked there Super Bowl dynasty.

People forget, but last season everyone was watching the Indianapolis Colts. Manning and company were expected to repeat by many. Sports pundits doubted Moss’ ability to play nice with a team that bought so much into team-first approach.

If it was not for the pure weak state of the division in 2005, the Patriots may not have even won first place. If anything, maybe the 2007 season was a resurgence of the Patriots. The though may scare every other team in the NFL, but the “taming” of Randy Moss may represent a new era of super stars coming to play with a pay cut.

Boston may yet have a few more years of complete sports dominance to erase the ‘90s from their minds.