With this being true, it is safe to say that it has been a while since the New England Patriots have had such a team - but the question begs, does the 2013 roster support such sound fundamentals?
On paper, most people don't see it, or refuse to see it.
Experts and fans alike are bemoaning the losses of Wes Welker and Aaron Hernandez and figuratively pounding coach Bill Belichick over his past draft failures after the release of yet another high round draft pick in Ras-I Dowling - and then more and more fans went scurrying for the exits as the enigmatic coach pared down the active roster that left the defensive line and the safety corps seem conspicuously thin.
But the fact of the matter is that this is the first team in nearly a decade that even comes close to realizing the golden rule of team building.
Is it perfect? Far from it, but here's the thing: The matrix supports such an outcome.
Sure, there are 14 rookies on the roster - half of them undrafted - and a total of seven sophomores - the 21 players accounting for a whopping 40% of the regular season roster. This is a very young team overall, with all seven of Belichick's draft picks sticking with the club, and also scoring big in free agency with Danny Amendola leading a cast that not even Belichick could have envisioned this past spring.
Kenbrell Thompkins and Zach Sudfeld, undrafted free agents both, crack the starting lineup as pass catchers on offense while the already powerful running game added 250 pound load LeGarrette Blount to it's ranks, sprinting through holes generated by one of the best run blocking lines in the NFL.
Oh, yeah, there's also some dude named Tom Brady running the entire thing like some sort of unfeeling cyborg, meticulously grinding out first downs at a break-neck pace, wearing down the mere humans that play for the opposing defense...
...and he has every weapon he needs to dominate, to make the defense have to defend the entire field on every play - too many weapons for a defense to be able to account for everyone. It's all about matchups, as Belichick so often says, and Brady is the best there's ever been at identifying coverages and putting his guys in position to suceed.
Make no mistake, this is not a quick strike offense, though they certainly have that capability. This offense is an up-tempo, ball control entity designed to wear down the defense, take away their will, then step on their throats on the way into the end zone.
On Defense, 10th year veteran defensive tackle Tommy Kelly joins a unit returning ten starters and have added the likes of Jamie Collins, Logan Ryan and Michael Buchanan.
The Patriots are very young on the defensive side, and seemingly thin in depth on the interior of the defensive line and at safety, but the starters are solid and the depth carries with it a ton of potential, and as long as injuries don't become an issue, this defense should be much improved over the unit that made it to the AFC title game last February.
Besides, in Patriots-land, the roster is fluid and always evolving - and come November when the Patriots should be playing their best ball is when both the roster will stabilize and the fans who have jumped off the bandwagon will be back on board, taking the ride once again.
Leading up to the season opener in Buffalo this coming Sunday, I will be publishing an eight part series that breaks down what we could and should expect from the Patriots this year.
They're not perfect, as every single expert and many-a-fan are willing to venture on a daily basis - predictions vary in range from 8 wins to 13, depending on who you talk to - and there's really no way to accurately project what will happen in a season to bring a certain number about...
...but given decent health and all else being equal, that number is going to be a hell of a lot closer to 13 wins than eight.
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