The New England Patriots have been spoiled with success over the last 20 years, which has raised the standard for the franchise.
Since 2001, the Pats have won six Super Bowls, 17 division titles, and they have posted a winning record in 20 of those 21 season. All their fans know recently is winning, and winning in the postseason. The same can be said about ownership.
At the NFL’s Annual Meetings on Tuesday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he was not happy with the lack of the team’s winning in the playoffs recently.
“It bothers me that we haven’t been able to win a playoff game in the last three years,” Kraft said.
The team won the Super Bowl in the 2016 and 2018 seasons. They reached the Super Bowl in the 2017 season but lost to the Eagles. The point is they had an incredible run of success that has lifted the standard to absurd levels. It’s not enough to have gone 12-4 in 2019 (Tom Brady’s final season) or 10-7 last season, because they lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs both years. Let’s not even talk about the 7-9 season in 2020 either.
But New England has Mac Jones now, and he looks to be pretty good. His next task will be winning a playoff game, if not for his own success, but just to make Kraft happy.
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