Sports Spin’s 32 Teams in 32 Days: New England Patriots

The New England Patriots have become the closest thing to a dynasty we've seen in the NFL's salary cap era.  They have lost the last two Super Bowls they have played in (both to the Giants), but they have been by far the most consistent team of the last decade (the Colts with Peyton Manning were a close second).

The Patriots' success can largely be attributed to two men:  head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.  No coach/quarterback combo in NFL history have won more games together.

There is a feeling in New England that the Pats would have won Super Bowl XLVI if Rob Gronkowski's ankle was 100%.  It's a great 'what if' scenario, but the bottom line is the Patriots lost to the Giants.

If there was a weakness for New England in 2011, it was their defense.  The Patriots spent their first six picks of the 2012 draft on defensive players.  The Pats defense of the past few seasons has been very 'un-Belichickian.'  They've given up yards and points in bunches.

Dan Roche is a veteran sportscaster for WBZ, the CBS affiliate in Boston.  Roche is excited about the 2012 season, but acknowledges the offensive line could be a weakness for the Patriots this season.