By: Scott Jackson, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer

Ten years ago this week, Bill Belichick was named head coach of the Patriots.  In his first five years with New England, Belichick’s squad won three Super Bowls.  The Patriots were the newest NFL Dynasty.

But since beating the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX, the team hasn’t won a championship.  And the dynasty is dead.

Yes, the team has had good seasons; they made it to the 2007 AFC Championship Game (which they lost to the Colts after leading by 18, the biggest comeback in NFL playoff history), and they went 16-0 in the 2007 regular season (before losing to the Giants in the Super Bowl).

But to be a dynasty, a team needs to win championships, and New England hasn’t done that in five years (and AFC rival Pittsburgh won 2 in 4 seasons since New England’s last win).

Looking back, the dynasty died in the minutes after Super Bowl XXXIX ended.  Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennel accepted the Browns offer to be their head coach, and Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis, Tom Brady’s mentor, took over at Notre Dame (he had accepted the job earlier in the season, but remained in Foxborough until the final snap of the season).

While Belichick still got by without his top lieutenants, his teams of late, especially this year’s, were very un-Patriotlike.  The team didn’t feature the same dominating defense that rattled the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.  That Patriots team won with a defense that could force turnovers and score points, and limit their opponents best players.  This years team won on offense, but the defense seemed to be an after thought.

And of course, the Patriots of 2001-2004 won games in the clutch.  Brady and Company authored 17 fourth quarter comebacks in just four years.  But this year, the team lost games in the fourth quarter against the Colts, Broncos, and Dolphins, and nearly lost against the Ravens in the fourth earlier this year.

The last reason the dynasty is dead is the lack of players from those Championship teams.  Only Tom Brady, Kevin Faulk, and Matt Light remain from the 2001 squad.  Those three, Dan Koppen, Ty Warren and Jarvis Green were on the field for Super Bowl XXXVIII, and were joined by Tully Banta-Cain, Stephen Neil, Benjamin Watson and Vince Wilfork in Super Bowl XXXIX.  The offseason before last year was especially big in terms of veteran losses for New England.  Rodney Harrison,Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, and Richard Seymour all left the team.

The dynasty may be dead, but Pats fans still have a lot to be happy about.  The team still has Tom Brady and Randy Moss on offense, Bill Belichick is still the coach, Robert Kraft still owns the team.

And last, we’re not the Oakland Raiders.

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