Patriots Wrap-up

In 2009, the Patriots were both the best team ever to lose the Super Bowl, and the best team since 1985 not to make the playoffs.

A couple posts ago I asked if it was good that an 11-5 might not make it, while (for example) the 8-8 Chargers got in. Even though my own team got screwed, I’m going to say it’s a good thing.

• As soon as Brady went down, the season was written off by most people. Even with as good as we did, the Pats were never going to win the Super Bowl. They weren’t even going to make it there. Not being in the playoffs doesn’t matter so much.
• We had an easy schedule. Not as easy as it should have been (four games against the Jets and Dolphins were expected to be all wins), but still. Our 11-5 isn’t as meaningful as it would have been the last few years.
• It’s not as fair, but it makes sports more interesting. It’s kind of neat that a good team doesn’t make it every once in a while.

For whatever it’s worth, Yglesias agrees with me while Easterbrook calls it Armageddon.

I suppose I’ll have to root for Atlanta the next couple of weeks. Or maybe New York – if they win, then their victory over the Patriots has more legitimacy.