Tough Road For Pats Fans

This may be Tom Brady's shortest season since he took over the starting position for the New England Patriots.

It was during the first quarter when Kansas City Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard drilled Brady in the knee. Fans heard the scream, and the reigning league MVP was taken out of the game and, potentially, the season.

This is bad news for Pats fans. But the past year and a half hasn't been the best for then anyways.

First, there was the disappointing AFC Championship loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the 2006-2007 season. The Colts went on to beat the now lackluster Chicago Bears in the Super bowl. And the Patriots? People began to think their dynasty had come to an end.

Then there was Spygate in 2007. The Patriots were vilified across the country for cheating, creating an unfair advantage. I still don't believe that those tapes could make a team play better, but I digress. The Pats were hated and so were their fans, for supporting a team that had made such a crucial mistake.

But then came the miraculous 2007 regular season. We loyal Patriots fans were stirred into a frenzy. How dare you call us cheats and fakes? We beat all your teams, and usually by an absurdly high margin. The Patriots were riding high, considered one of the best teams in recent history.

That, of course, was until one mild Sunday in Glendale, Arizona, when the wildcard New York Giants managed one of the greatest upsets in sports, beating the Patriots in the Super bowl and dashing their hopes of a perfect season.

And, yet, through all of this the fans stayed strong. We hoped for another championship run and another perfect season. Today's news may be the worst we've gotten, even worse than losing to the Giants.

Tom Brady is the backbone and the heart of the explosive Pats offense. Some argue that Cassel did well today, but nobody can deny that he is not Brady. I, along with other fans, are crushed by the news. We hate to see the Jets, led by Brett Favre, go on to win the division, but that is now completely possible.

We can only hope for a speedy recovery for Mr. Brady and the New England Patriots.