The Patriots were hoping for a much better result than they got the year following Super Bowl XXXVI. In 2002, New England missed the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

The Patriots were not going to be inconsistent any longer. They had become the measuring stick for consistency and instilled a winning tradition.

New England was then the team to beat and the franchise to emulate in the NFL. The Patriots had won two of the last three Super Bowls and were poised for a strong title defense.

Corey Dillon, the disgruntled Bengals running back, was brought in to shore up the running game. Dillon had plenty of skil...

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