People can't talk about football history without mentioning the New England Patriots. Led by Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, they had not only the AFC East but the entire sport in a chokehold for the better part of two decades, winning six Super Bowls in nine tries.
They helped turn around a Patriots franchise that had multiple AFC Championships but no actual trophies. Their dynasty also set a new standard for what a successful football organization should look like.
However, even the best teams fall short of expectations, and the New England Patriots aren't an exception. Considering that, we're going to talk about the five best Patriots teams that couldn't win a Super Bowl.
5. 2006 Patriots
The 2006 Patriots team is somewhat infamous, so some may consider them an odd addition to this list. That being said, we're talking about a team that entered the season on the heels of consecutive Super Bowl wins, so they were, by all means, the team to beat. And even though they didn't three-peat, they still won 12 of 16 games that season.
The 2006 Patriots were just three wins away from setting a new all-time NFL record for the most games played without consecutive losses (60). With Brady at the helm and All-Pro DE Richard Seymour leading the defense, New England upset the New York Jets and Los Angeles Chargers in the playoffs. Unfortunately, their postseason pedigree wasn't enough to get past Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game. They were two wins away from becoming the first -- and only -- team to three-peat in the Super Bowl era.
4. 2011 Patriots
Back in 2011, the Patriots hadn't been to the Super Bowl in four years. That was a crisis, according to their standards. Then, Tom Brady threw for a career-best 5,235 yards and 39 scores, making the most of a blossoming Rob Gronkowski, who had just become the most dominant pass-catching tight end the league had ever seen.
With a 13-3 record, Bill Belichick's team once again looked like an unstoppable juggernaut in the AFC. Then, disaster struck -- again. The Patriots couldn't get past their nemesis: Eli Manning and the New York Giants. This time, a crucial late-game drop by Wes Walker left the door open for the Giants to beat them with a game-winning score. Once again, heartbreak.
3. 2010 Patriots
The 2010 Patriots may have had the best defense in franchise history, and that's a lot to say for a team coached by Bill Belichick for over two decades. Future Hall of Famer Randy Moss finally looked poised to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy. With Deion Branch also back, the Patriots led the league in points per game.
Of course, it wasn't much of a surprise to see this team win 14 of 16 regular-season games. What happened later, however, was a stunner. They crushed the Jets, 45-3, in the regular season, only to lose to that same Jets team, 28-21, in the divisional round. To this day, it might be the most shocking and disappointing playoff defeat in franchise history.
2. 2017 Patriots
With Tom Brady turning 40, the 2017 season felt like the last dance for the legendary gunslinger. He still threw for over 4,500 yards and 32 touchdowns, becoming the oldest MVP in league history. With an offense and defense both ranked in the top-5 of the league, the Patriots were the team to beat after cruising to a 13-3 record and the No. 1 seed.
The table was set. They were going to face the Philadelphia Eagles with backup quarterback Nick Foles at the helm. Foles stunned the world with a 41-33 win, and even though Brady set a new Super Bowl record with 505 passing yards, most people will remember that game for his failed catch and eventual loss.
1. 2007 Patriots
Never ask a Patriots fan about 2007; chances are that they have erased that year from their memory altogether. At least they should, given that this was by far the biggest heartbreak any Boston sports fan had experienced. To this day, it feels like they would've won that game 99 out of 100 times.
With Randy Moss in town, Brady set a then record with 50 touchdown passes, 23 of them going to the former Minnesota Vikings star. They averaged nearly 37 points per game and owned the NFL's fourth-best defense. Then, after a perfect 16-0 regular season and an undefeated trip to the Super Bowl, David Tyree made one of the most iconic catches in football history. Aided by his helmet, he and Eli Manning combined to spoil the Patriots, handing them their first and only loss of the campaign at the biggest stage.