Letter to the editor: Math suggests Patriots aren’t top Super Bowl champion

Give the devil his due.

The New England Patriots’ ninth Super Bowl appearance is most of all the 28 franchises that reached the big show (the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos have eight each).

Though many despise their “Deflategate” and other shenanigans, winning five Super Bowls in seven appearances is pretty terrific for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

In these last 16 seasons, their seven Super Bowl trips are way ahead of the second-best Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks (three each). No team in any of the four major league sports can top that mark of five out of seven.

The record-setting comeback from a 25-point deficit in Super Bowl LI is pretty awesome, too.

But are the Pats really all that superior to other great Super Bowl teams? The record might suggest otherwise.

Their five Super Bowl victories against two losses were achieved over 16 seasons. Perhaps more impressive is the quarterback Terry Bradshaw/coach Chuck Noll combo compiling four Pittsburgh wins in six straight seasons (with no losses).

What about the streak of three consecutive Super Bowl appearances by the Miami Dolphins (they won two) in the 1970s or the Buffalo Bills’ record four in a row 20 years later (sad to say, with no wins)?

Then, let’s talk about margin of victory. The Green Bay Packers won the first two Super Bowls by 25 and 19 points. Six more teams also accomplished back-to-back championships (Pittsburgh did it twice) and New England was the last to do so. However, the Patriots’ victory margin of six combined points was the fewest of all the back-to-backs.

There’s no question that the Patriots are a really great team, the greatest of this young century. But if you do the math, they are far from the greatest of all.

Simon Roloff

Spokane