With their third Super Bowl title in the past four years, the New England Patriots have earned the right to be called a Dynasty. Despite the fact that each of their Super Bowl victories were determined by only three point margins, this should not cloud the fact that they have been far superior to any NFL team during this impressive run. This Patriots team has taken on all comers, and have met each and every challenge that they have been faced with. The leadership of owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick and assistant coaches such as Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel, as well as front office superstar Scott Pioli has been nothing short of outstanding.
The fact that each of their Super Bowl Championships were very competitive games proved that in order to pull out each victory, the Patriots needed true professionals and men loaded with character, toughness, intelligence and of course physical ability. These are the four attributes that each of the other teams in the NFL need if they are going to make a run to the Motor City for next years big game.
There are several teams that have the potential to challenge the Patriots for next years title if they are able to make the necessary off-season adjustments. The consensus is that those teams are, this years runner-up the Philadelphia Eagles, as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and of course our Kansas City Chiefs.
Despite the fact that the Chiefs did not make the playoffs this past season, the oddsmakers already are assuming that they will regain the AFC West title, and Las Vegas is guessing that Dick Vermeil’s swan song will be a successful one with 15-1 odds to win the Super Bowl.
Each of these teams that are listed above have some of the previously mentioned attributes to earn a championship. However, each is also lacking in one or more that will put them over the top.
In the Eagles case, they clearly have the physical ability as well intelligence, however their fourth quarter performance in the Super Bowl showed a lack of toughness and the character needed to become champions. Especially in the case of quarterback Donovan McNabb late in the game.
In regards to the Pittsburgh Steelers ,their physical ability may be unmatched in the NFL, and they are also very tough, however they have character and intelligence issues to correct in the near future.
And as long as the Indianapolis Colts have Payton Manning and the Atlanta Falcons have Michael Vick they must be included in the conversation when it comes to winning championships. However the Colts and Falcons both have character and toughness issues. And in the Falcons case, their intelligence in game strategy must also be addressed. Of all the contenders this year, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Falcons drop off the radar screen next season.
This brings us to the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Jets had a nice run this past season, and they have some outstanding players as well, however they must improve their physical ability in certain areas if they are going to make another deep run into the playoffs next season. But they did display three out of the four attributes needed to be champion. They showed character and toughness, as well as intelligence, (despite the play calling of since departed offensive coordinator Paul Hackett), throughout the season. They and the Kansas City Chiefs are this writers early prediction to meet in the AFC Championship game next season.
In the Chiefs case they clearly have most of what is needed to get them over the hump. Physical ability on the defensive side of the ball is their most glaring need, but most experts feel that they will address those issues this offseason and make it a priority. Lamar Hunt and Carl Peterson realize that this is a make or break season in 2005 and the window of opportunity is closing. Despite some minor slip-ups, the intellectual attribute of the Chiefs players and organization is above average, and despite Marty Schottenheimer’s final couple of seasons at the helm of the Chiefs, character and toughness have always been readily available at Arrowhead Stadium.
One area that has not been mentioned is the health of a team come playoff time. The reason it is not highlighted in this article is because it is a given that a team with Super Bowl aspirations must stay relatively healthy throughout the season. This is where the New England Patriots have been fortunate during their impressive run of championships. Yes, they have had their share of injuries in the past few years, namely the loss of Ty Law this past season. However something tells me if Tom Brady would have gone down for any extended period of time, they would not be wearing the crown right now. This is what I feel will be the ultimate downfall of the Patriots next season. Not just the injuries, but the law of averages must eventually get the best of them when it comes to the schedule, turnovers, etc…and in addition, the loss of coordinators Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel will undoubtedly have an effect.
There are other teams that were in the mix this past season that most people in the know expect to have a major fall off from their good fortunes of the previous season. Those teams include the San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams. It is the general opinion that these and other teams that were in the playoffs in 2004 don’t have what it takes to claim the championship of the NFL anytime soon.
So with the conclusion of yet another NFL season, we have learned that with character, toughness, intelligence, and physical ability, a team can challenge for a championship ring. Considering they stay relatively healthy during the season., and by maintaining these four attributes and having a little luck along the way, the Kansas City Chiefs and their red and gold clad followers can book their tickets to Detroit next year with a seat at Ford Field in the Super Bowl!
