New England Patriots Dynasty Back?

The New England Patriots' brief nightmare of irrelevance is over as Mac Jones is beginning to look an awful lot like that other quarterback who brought so many baubles and trophies to the team's display case. A throttling of the Tennessee Titans on Sunday leaves Bill Belichick's team atop the AFC East and in serious conversation as the best team in football. They've won seven of eight and appear to be firing on all cylinders at a time when everyone else in the conference is transversing the peaks and valleys.

Sports Guys everywhere are fired up at the development, including our own Liam McKeone, who barely made it through a six-month stretch without a Boston sports championship. The vibe is also incredibly positive on the national level, with pundits chomping at the bit for the opportunity to tell you Bill Belichick is back and better than ever.

First Things First's Kevin Wildes was able to plant his flag on desired land early this morning by being the first proclaim the Patriots' are in the beginning stages of a second dynasty.

Good Lord.

On one hand, there's some due respect for being exactly the type of person a sports debate show requires at the drop of the hat. On the other, well, things used to have meaning. I'm old enough to remember when it took multiple championships over a 3-5 year span to be considered a dynasty. No problem with inclusivity but when a 8-4 record and more consistency than the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins is all that's required, perhaps we've gone too far. Although, who could ever forget the return of the Pittsburgh Steelers' dynasty last year after their 11-0 start?

Look, we're all either excited or upset about the Patriots being relevant again and shaping into a formidable Super Bowl contender. If we learned anything from Thanksgiving and the gluttony, it should be the importance of pacing one's self. This conversation is moving far too quickly and someone's going to pass out if we're not careful.