In 2007 The New England Patriots completed a perfect regular season by winning sixteen and losing zero. On the way to this historic mark they scored the most points by a team in a single season ever, and broke the records for passing and receiving touchdowns in a season. This appeared to be a magical season that comes once in a lifetime, but just two years later the NFL has two teams vying for perfection. The Indianapolis Colts (11-0) and New Orleans Saints (10-0) are each entering the home stretch of the season still undefeated. If either of these teams complete the perfect regular season, it will have only been fitting that they had to defeat the Patriots first. In week 10 the Colts beat the Patriots by one point to improve to 9-0 on the year. The Patriots will have another chance to protect their 2007 legacy against the 10-0 Saints tonight at the Superdome. Saints running back Reggie Bush recently stated that his team would and could go undefeated this season; was his aware that they play New England week 12? To become undefeated you must be perfect and you must beat the best. The Saints will attempt to stay unbeaten and the Patriots will try to protect a legend of perfection.
If the Colts complete the perfect season they will have beaten the Patriots on route to 16-0 and will have finally done what they had come close to in the past. In 2005 the Colts were 13-0 going into the final three games on the season, but they would lose two of these games to become 14-2. In 2007 the 7-0 Colts squared off against the Patriots in Indy only to lose a close game. Fast forward to 2009, Peyton Manning and the Colts are now 11-0 after beating the Patriots earlier in the season. With five games left and the division already clinched the possibility of an undefeated season is strong. However, it will be interesting to see if when the Colts have secured the number one seed in the AFC, if they still play all of their starters. The 07' Patriots were clearly aiming to run the table as Tom Brady and the starters played all the way through until perfection was achieved. If the Colts follow the same rubric for perfection than we may be looking at the second team in NFL history to win all 16 games of the season.
To protect the 2007 legendary season of 16-0 the Patriots must defeat the Saints. but they are helpess against the Colts winning out. The Patriots must now rely on the Titans, Broncos, Jaguars, Jets, and/or Bills to take down Indianapolis. If the Colts or Saints, or both teams complete the 2009 campaign undefeated what does that say about the NFL? Shouldn't an undefeated season by an incredible feat that is so impossible it can only happen once in a lifetime? If only two years later there is another perfect team or a pair of perfect teams, there is something wrong with this league. An undefeated season should be anything, but easy as perfect. Hopefully the Saints and Colts lose a game or two and this concern vanishes into the night.
1 comment:
Ohh what a sad day it was in "Patriot Land" last week. Yes sad indeed to admit that our "Pats" did not show up as the "Saints" totally dominated and outdueled the Pats on both offense and defense. It was the Saints who took a page out of the Pats of old's game-book, as they looked more like that old undefeated Pat's team than the Pats did. Hopefully the Pats will do a more creditable job playing out their string of remainig games to Win their division and get ready for the playoffs.
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