2008 New England Patriots

The Patriot roster reads like a who’s who of the NFL Hall of Fame in 15 years. With last year’s NFL Most Valuable Player Tom Brady and last season’s addition of Randy Moss, the Pats took their game to an even higher level, finishing just one game shy of that perfect season and Super Bowl title in 2007. Fans were looking forward to watching Brady dominate again in the 2008 season, but unfortunately Brady will be out the entire season due to a left knee injury he received during the Patriots’ 2008 season opener game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Matt Cassel will take over as quarterback, and Brady said he still thinks the Pats will have a winning season. They’ve made a strong add on Wes Welker, and the defense has been further strengthened with intriguing draft picks Crable and Mayo. Foxboro will once again be a fearsome house for New England Patriots football, and we expect the Pats to enjoy another year in championship form.

Some New England Patriots history: The Boston Patriots joined the American Football League (AFL) as a charter member in 1960. In its second season the team compiled a winning record. Eleven Patriots played in the 1963 AFL All-Star Game as head coach Mike Holovak steered Boston to a tie for the Eastern Division title.

The club joined the NFL in 1970, establishing its home in Foxboro. Because the team played its games outside of Boston, the franchise was renamed in 1971 as the New England Patriots to appeal to a greater number of fans. The Patriots had a slow start in the NFL, winning no more than seven games in a season from 1970 to 1975.

The Patriots fielded several strong teams during the 1970s and 1980s, reaching the playoffs five times from 1976 to 1986. Coached by Raymond Berry, the Patriots made back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time in franchise history in 1985 and 1986. A wildcard team in 1985, New England won three hard-fought AFC playoff games to reach Super Bowl XX, where they lost to the Chicago Bears, 46-10.

The Patriots floundered from 1987 to 1993, bottoming out in 1990 with a 1-15 record. The team rebounded in 1994 behind second-year quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who led the NFL in passing yards. Bill Parcells coached the Patriots to two more playoff appearances in 1995 and 1996. Powered by Bledsoe and running back Curtis Martin, New England captured the AFC championship in 1996 before losing in the Super Bowl to the Green Bay Packers, 35-21. After the loss, Parcells resigned and former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Pete Carroll was hired to replace him.

With Bill Belichick taking the coaching reins and Tom Brady as quarterback, the New England Patriots seemed to make winning the NFL Championship a habit, defeating the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI. They missed the Super Bowl in 2003 but came back in 2004 to defeat the Carolina Panthers 32-29 and again in 2005, beating the Philadelphia Eagles 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Note: The Patriots are commonly referred to as "the Pats" by their adoring fans!