Can Patriots Complete Historic Turnaround With Super Bowl Upset?
No matter what happens during the Super Bowl on Sunday, the New England Patriots have already made history.
According to ESPN Insights, they’re the first team in the Super Bowl era to reach the Super Bowl after hiring a new head coach and winning four games or fewer the prior season.
Not only did the Patriots go 4-13 last year, but they also went 4-13 the year before that. They fired the greatest coach in NFL history, then fired his hand-picked successor after just one season.
New England appeared to be headed back to the dark ages, reclaiming its identity as one of the league’s worst franchises before Tom Brady and Bill Belichick came along.
Fortunately for the Patriots, they immediately turned things around under Mike Vrabel. Armed with a reloaded roster and a historically easy schedule, they went from four wins to 14, going from last in the AFC East to the top of the division and tied for the league’s best record.
Many expected them to crumble against tougher competition in the playoffs, but they haven’t. Instead, they became the first team in NFL history to win three straight games against a top-five defense.
New England has lost only one game over the last four months, and it came after blowing a 21-0 lead. The Patriots have gone 16-1 over their last 17 games and haven’t lost a game away from Gillette Stadium all season.
And yet, they’re still underdogs. The Seattle Seahawks are their toughest test yet. They led the NFL in point differential and fewest points allowed during the regular season despite playing in a much tougher division and conference.
If New England wins, it will be more history made and the cherry on top of an incredible season. If not, it won’t take anything away from everything the Patriots have accomplished over the last few months.