An Utterly Insane Patriots Streak Has Finally Come To An End After 17 Years
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots lost their seventh game of the season on Thursday night. That is a sentence that has not been written in a very, very long time.
With the seventh loss of the season already in the bag, the Patriots are now unable to reach a double-digit win total in 2020. That is significant, because it hasn't been true for the team since 2002.
Every single year, from 2003-19, the won at least 10 games -- and it was usually more.
Most Common Record For Patriots Since 2002
1. 12-4, six times
2. 14-2, four times
T-3. 13-3, twice
T-3. 10-6, twice
T-3. 11-5, twice
6. 16-0, once
Outside of a 10-6 showing back in the 2005 season, the Patriots have cleared double digits in wins with ease every single year, until now.
Last year, the Patriots set the NFL all-time record for most consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins, moving past the San Francisco 49ers, who did it 16 times in a row from 1983-98. The 49ers, though, finished with 10 wins five times during that span, averaging 11.9 wins per season. The Patriots averaged 12.5 wins per season, even with the extra year.
Nobody else has even come close. The third-longest such streak just nine seasons, turned in by the Colts from 2002-10. The Cowboys have the fourth-longest streak, at seven seasons (1975-81).
Of all of the magnificent achievements of the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era, that may be the most preposterous. Competing at such a high level for so long simply cannot and has not been done.
Take some of the Patriots' main rivals in the AFC during that time. The Steelers have racked up double-digit wins 11 times since 2003. The Colts have done it 12 times and have the chance to make it 13 this year. The Ravens have done it nine times and may record a 10th this year. The Broncos have done it seven times, and the Chiefs have done it 10.
Over in the NFC, the Packers have 11 (going on 12) double-digit win seasons since 2003, the Seahawks have 10, the Saints have nine, and the Eagles have eight.
The Patriots put forth 17. In a row.
Now, though, the streak is done. At 6-7, the Patriots are guaranteed their worst finish since 2002, which was one of the two years from 2001-19 that the team did not make the playoffs. If the Patriots lose one of their final three games, they'll record their worst record since 2000, when they went 5-11 in Belichick's first season in Foxboro.
