They have 6 Super Bowl wins and 9 AFC titles with Brady and they don't get to just play division teams to get those wins.
Having a gift division enables first round byes and easier roads to the AFC game. It's not the Patriots fault, but it's legitimate context.
The problem is, Patriots fans are so sensitive to criticism, that they lose their minds when anything they perceive as negative context gets added to their story.
For example, I'm a diehard Yankees fan. 1996 was amazing. But I can still acknowledge that fan interference by Jeffry Meier benefitted them that year.
Pats fans cannot acknowldge:
1. Their first 3 SB wins were at a time when the Patriots were filming and stealing plays unchecked, which they were fined huge $ and docked picks for. They won each game by small margins. Any logical mind would say it could have influence. Also: tuck rule
2. Seattle win was maybe the result of the worst coaching decision in history - need short yardage to win, have the best short yardage player in the game, throw pass
3. Atlanta had the best kicker in the game. In a dome. On the 22, up 8, they drop back 12 and get sacked. Run three times, kick FG, win SB. Gift.
4. Pats lose to KC. Wait, a HAND in the neutral zone. Chief end up losing, and Pats play an opponent that should have been there outside of the worst ref call ever, which screwed NO. Brady sucked in the worst Super Bowl ever. (I fully acknowlege they could've beaten NO, but we'll never know).
So, yes, they have 6 which can't be taken away. But the fans should acknowldge the extreme amount of luck they have had to get them.
Anyway, the only team that could stop them was the Giants.
