Like the Romans and Chinamen before them, the end is near

First let me apologize for not putting this up sooner, but you see, I have been on a suicide watch for the last 26 hours, 15 minutes, and 54 seconds. After the Patriots fifth loss on the road to the Miami Dolphins yesterday I walked out of my room, took a right through the living room. I bypassed the jarring Jet fans sitting on the couch steadily drinking Natural Ice. My face was emotionless. I walked up to the second floor with my Tom Brady jersey collecting trash on the floor behind me like a baby dragging his blankie. I go to the bathroom and turn the shower on, so my roommates wouldn't hear the sobs. And I fall to the floor in the fetal position, sucking my thumb and clenching on to the now soaked Brady jersey.

Sound a little excessive? Perhaps. But if you realized what realized this Sunday, then you might feel the same way. This is the end of the Patriot Dynasty as we know it. I always knew it was inevitable but I never thought it would happen. I suppose every great dynasty must come to an end. The Chinamen had the Ming Dynasty; an era lasting from 1368 to 1644 which was considered one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history. The Romans had their run of ruling Europe from 27 BC to 476 AD on their way to redefining politics as the world knew it. And the New England Patriot had their run at American football supremacy from 2001 to 2009 AD.

The years of the Patriots walking on to the field and beating teams off intimidation are over. I saw it on Sunday. I saw it last week in New Orleans, and I saw it against Indianapolis. The Patriots are not only beatable, they are choke artists. Everything that made me fall in love with the Patriots, they aren't doing anymore. It's frustrating football to watch. They score early, but not late. They give up the big plays, and turn the ball over when they have to score. Bonehead penalties giving the opposing team's second and third chances. It's like the Patriots are undisciplined. Excuse me, I just got choked up at the thought of that.

But every fall of a dynasty has a catalyst, a spark that ignites the beginning of the end. For me? The event is quite obvious. February 3, 2008--"The Super Bowl That Shall Not Be Named". It was supposed to be the coronation of the best team ever assembled. That game was going to cement the legacies of Brady, Belichick, and the entire team. Of course that did not happen, but the consolation of a perfect regular season would have to do. Fast forward to September 7, 2009. The Patriots unquestioned leader, the Julius Caesar of the Patriots, Tom Brady goes down in the first game of the season for the year and the Patriots fail to make the playoffs. Then in the off-season, the front office started dismantling that legendary Patriot defense. Leaders Tedy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison retired to television. Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour were sent to rot in the basement of the AFC West. Would the Greeks tell Leonidas to stop fighting for the Spartan 300 because he was too old? What if America traded George Washington to Mexico because he cost too much money? Well, that's what it felt like when we saw those defensive cornerstones leave.

Yet the 2009 season was one filled with promise. Tom Brady was full recovered and a revamped defense seemed ready to carry the load to another title run. But Brady hasn't been Brady. The defense looks more loose than Britney Spears after giving birth. The Patriots are just not the Patriots. The stats speak for themselves. The Patriots have taken a lead into half time in four out of their five losses. And in all five of the losses, the Pats have scored a combined 31 points in the second half. That is beyond pitiful for a team that essentially the same from 2007. To say that it is all on the defense's shoulders is a lie.

I love the guy, maybe too much, but I have got to put part of the blame on Brady. The one who I knew could get the job done with the game on the line; the guy who took a nap before Super Bowl XXXVI was now costing us the game. He threw 5 picks against New Orleans, another 2 against Miami and has shown the inability to lead the offense at crucial points in the game. Now am I saying he's washed up? Certainly not. As a matter of fact, he is actually enjoying a nice statistical season. But it's the intangibles that the Patriots are missing. And that starts with their leaders.

Not only do these problems lead me to this, but also what is happening around the league. Teams are catching up to the Patriots. The Colts tied New England's NFL record for consecutive games won with 21 while sporting a handsome 12-0 record. The Saints are also undefeated and feature an offensive that is threatening the 2007 Patriots. The turnover rate for these dominant teams are at an incredible rate. As the Patriots rebuild their defense, other teams are feasting on the opportunity to strike.

The Patriots have had this impenetrable wall just outside of I-87 for eight years. Few have crossed that wall and far fewer have lived to tell about that victory. But to date the Patriot Dynasty is in a state of jeopardy. Their remaining opponent's combined record is 20-27, and if there is one thing they still can do is beat up on weaker opponents. However when the playoffs come, they will be in for a rude awakening unless they figure their flaws.