Come Monday, 53 Super Bowls will have been played. The New England Patriots will have played in their third straight, fourth out of the past five, and 11th overall. It is no wonder there are Patriot haters.

But, before Drew Bledsoe, and later, the greatest quarterback to play in the NFL, Tom Brady, came along, it was a long wait for Boston and New England Patriots fans (Yes, young ones, they were the Boston Patriots first) to see their team make the Super Bowl. The Chicago Bears hardly gave us fans much to feel good about after they demolished the Pats, 46-10, in Super Bowl XX in 1986. New England lost its next SB appearance 11 years later (SB XXXI) to Green Bay, 35-21. Were we ever going to win it all?

Finally, five years later, the first Lombardi trophy arrived in New England when the Pats beat the Los Angeles Rams, 20-17, on Feb. 3, 2002 on the final play of the game, a 48-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri.

Let's hope that date (2/3) is magical for New England fans as the Rams and Pats will go at it again on Feb. 3 (Should I mention that we lost the SB on a Feb. 3 ... to the New York Giants in 2008?). Let's hope it won't take another final play of the game for the Patriots to win. Or in overtime (Super Bowl LI ... Pats win trophy no. 5, 34-28, over the Atlanta Falcons in the only SB overtime game). I've got to work on Monday!

Get number 6 Pats!

Oh, why not ... my prediction: Pats 28, Rams 21.