How to Talk to Your Older Patriots Fan About the End of the Dynasty

It goes without saying that difficult times come into the life of every fan, regardless of how old they are or where they live. Sooner or later we all find ourselves at the bottom of the standings late into a season. But for those fortunate few who have been living through the best of circumstances over a long period, the hard times seem to hit harder. That is certainly the case in New England.

Perhaps you've noticed your Patriots fan of a certain age acting differently lately. Maybe they're having difficulty adjusting to life at 2-11. You may find them increasingly frustrated by seeing a team that's allowed the fewest points in the league since Week 9 and yet is 0-4 in those games. Possibly they're prone to fits of anger as they watch games around the league with the likes of Jake Browning and CJ Beathard hitting open receivers everywhere and finishing drive after drive while their team scores 13 points in a three-game span. 

These behaviors are perfectly natural in a situation such as the one they're going through. But however common they are, by no means does that make them any less difficult for their families to deal with. When someone you love is in your care, it can be extremely stressful to transition them into this new phase of their life. So presented here are some guidelines you may find helpful. 

Remember that change can be difficult.

It was common among the members of what we lovingly call The Greatest Generation to adjust to life in the post-World War II era. A common refrain among them was that in the world they grew up in, FDR was always the President, Joe Louis was always the Heavyweight Champ, and Big Bands were always the most popular music. Soon they found themselves in a popular culture of Rock 'n Roll and television and they felt left behind. 

Your Patriots fan has enjoyed two decades of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. It's been 3/12 years since the latter left. And it feels increasingly certain the former will be gone soon as well. For someone who's enjoyed not only unprecedented levels of success but an unimaginably long period of stability, adjusting to new faces of the franchise can be extremely challenging. Especially when the ones being replaced are the GOATs of their chosen fields. And particularly when your elderly Pats fan has spent the entire 21st century derisively mocking the pathetic losers on the "rival" teams who seem to change coaches and quarterbacks like they change cable channels. 

Be patient with them.

Facing all this is change can be more than just an adjustment. It can be frightening. Often times a person going through this transition will, rather than confront an uncertain future, take comfort in happy memories from the past. You may find your Pats fan on Twitter reposting videos of great Brady comebacks more than they used to. Or telling more and more stories of great moments from the Dynasty. Doing so on special anniversaries is particularly common. You may hear things like "November 30th? Did you know that it's 20 years to the day the Pats stopped the Colts on four tries from the 1-yard line? If they didn't win that game, they wouldn't have had home field in the playoffs!" Or "December 3rd, 2007 was the game in Baltimore where Rex Ryan called a timeout and gave the Pats another shot at a 4th down conversion. Which they made and kept the unbeaten season going! I'll never forget the look on Don Shula's face in the Ravens' owner's box. Boy oh boy, was that something!" The best thing you an do in this situation is to be a good listener, no matter how tedious, boring and repetitive these stories get. Bear in mind that their only alternative is to focus on that one nice completion Bailey Zappe made to DeVante Parker before the drive stalled out and they had to punt again. So do the best you can. 

Gently remind them that change is not only inevitable, it can be the best of things. 

It's hard for people who have been doing things a certain way over an extended period of time to make adjustments. Your Pats fan has been seeing essentially the same system being run on both sides of the ball literally for decades, with only relatively minor changes over the years. There is often extreme comfort in such things, even as they become outdated and obsolete. In extreme cases, this can lead to Scheme Hoarding. Clinging to concepts just because Charlie Weis or Romeo Crennel brought them to Foxboro in 2000.

Try to get your loved one to appreciate that whatever sentimental value those systems may have, they may be best left to memories. That the game evolves. And as unsettling as it may feel at first, keeping up with the pace of change can be a pure positive. A good way to approach this is to show them some of the best teams in the league. Watch the way their big, agile, freakishly athletic quarterbacks will break a tackle, avoid three others, escape the pocket, and complete a 30-yard laser to an equally talented receiver who ran himself open. That the NFL now is predicated on making plays outside of structure, as opposed to having to have every single aspect of a have to go 100% right in order just to pick up a 1st down. 

And while it's fun to remember Brady's incredible feats of passing, kindly suggest that no such quarterback is currently succeeding in today's NFL. That his performance in Tampa belongs in the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum as the last pure pocket passer who will ever win a Super Bowl under the current rules. 

Stress the importance of pure athleticism. 

And while you're at it, show them the best receivers and tight ends in the league and help them imagine a Patriots team with one of them. This will help them envision a whole new way of roster building. One that reflects the current state of pro football. You'll likely hear some protest. Some version of "Quarterbacks make receivers, not the other way around." That knee jerk reaction (trademark Old Balls, all rights reserved) is to be expected, because it was true for a very long time. But the days of building your passing attack around undrafted and late round slot receivers is over. It died with Julian Edelman's retirement.

For too long, the Patriots have been dependent on their system to get receivers open. And it obviously worked. In the past. But remind your loved one that by no means was it perfect. Far too many gifted receivers were brought in here who couldn't hack it in this scheme. For every Troy Brown, Deion Branch, Wes Welker or Danny Amendola, there were seemingly dozens of Chad Johnsons and Juju Smith-Schusters who were rendered utterly useless here. With all the kindness you can, try to get them to see that you shouldn't have to be able to solve Fermat's Last Theorem just to find some space in an opposing secondary.

Instill hope for a bright and glorious future. 

Explain that the Dynasty has had a hell of a run. Better than anyone growing up in this area with an emotional attachment to an only-ocassionally competitive team could possibly have hoped for. But this is not the only way for a franchise to succeed. The track record for scouting talent, both college and pro, has been, to put it mildly, spotty. There's been too much of an emphasis on hitting home runs on Days 3 and 4 in the draft. The last pick taken in the first three rounds to receive a second contract was Duron Harmon, who was selected 10 years ago. 

Emphasize that, if there's going to be a change, now may be the perfect moment in time to do so. With high draft picks in every round. Some generational talent at QB and WR. With the second most salary cap space in the league for 2024 and the most in 2025. Now could be the exact right time to bring in fresh blood. New perspectives. A different philosophy. A bold new vision for roster building and scheme, more adapted to the current state of the NFL. 

If that doesn't work, remind them we still have the best owner in the league and he's not about to let this go on another day once this season is over.

Thanks for reading. Best wishes to you and all the Patriots fans. I hope this handy guide will help. I certainly hope my family reads it and uses it on me. I need all the help I can get.