Almost exactly one year ago today I wrote an article for this site called “An Impossible Standard of Success: How the Patriots Have Forever Changed Fan Expectations.” I wrote the article a couple days before the Patriots defeated the Jaguars and went on to Super Bowl LII, where they ultimately lost to the Eagles.
I won’t repeat most of what I wrote there, but now, in the wake of the Patriots winning yet another AFC Championship game to advance to yet another Super Bowl, it’s worth taking a look at how stupidly impressive what they’ve accomplished is, and how an entire generation of football fans have had their mentality surrounding what it means to be successful in the NFL completely warped.