Titletown: Ranking Boston’s Championship Teams Since 2001
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2004-05 New England Patriots
Possessors of a 15-game winning streak and the title of defending champs, the Patriots began the 2004 season with a giant target their collective back. Still they started the year with six straight victories, bringing their streak to 21 games and setting an NFL record in the process. They fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-20, but then won 8 of their last 9 games to once again complete the regular season 14-2.
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They finished fourth in the league in points scored, at 27.3, and second in points allowed, at 16.2. In the divisional round of the playoffs, the defense locked down Peyton Manning, who threw for 49 touchdowns that year, and the Patriots beat the Indianapolis Colts 20-3. Next they headed to Heinz Field to try and avenge their loss to the 16-1 Steelers. Against Pittsburgh’s first place defense, New England rung up 41 points, winning by two touchdowns.
In the Super Bowl they faced the NFC’s finest team, the 15-3 Philadelphia Eagles. Seven point favorites as they had been a year ago, the Patriots once again prevailed by 3, winning 24-21. They became the first team to repeat as champs since John Elway led the Denver Broncos to two straight titles in 1998 and ’99 to close out his career.
Although they finished with the same 17-2 record they had the year before, this Patriots team did it in more dominant fashion. They beat stiff competition handily to make it to the Super Bowl and, unlike the year before, they had to go on the road for the AFC Championship. They answered the call at every turn, with excellent play on both sides of the ball. In a group of nine truly special teams, they’re the finest Boston’s last decade and a half has to offer.
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