Mike Tanier

We are haunted by the ghosts of Patriots past.

Every time the Patriots take the field in an important game, a jumble of memories comes flooding back. The Tuck. Adam Vinatieri in the clutch. Randy Moss outleaping defenders. Spygate. It all runs together, and the Patriots become all of those teams wrapped in one — an unstoppable force that can beat you with offense, defense, field goals, bombs, screens, tight ends, good calls, and maybe some inside information.

But the 2011 Patriots are not the 2001 Patriots, or the 2007 Patriots, or any of the other teams that made the Super Bowl in the last 11 years. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are the only real constants, yet they also have changed through the years. To understand where the Patriots are now, it helps to remember, clearly, where they have been.

So let’s look back at the last four Patriots Super Bowl teams and remember them as they were: how they won, what their strengths and weaknesses were, and how they were perceived at the time. Once we strip away some of the mythology, we can take a more focused look at the team that will face the Giants in less than two weeks.

The 2001 Patriots

Brady was: The scrappy unknown who came off the bench and found a way to win. When you picture the 2001 Patriots, don’t put today’s sex-symbol version of Brady under center. Imagine someone like T.J. Yates there instead.

Belichick was: A Bill Parcells disciple and coaching retread who finally proved that he had the communication and organizational skills to match his tactical genius. Belichick had a 41-52 career record before the 2001 season.

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The Style: Plodding and defense-oriented. The Patriots produced 300 yards or less of total offense eight times in the regular season, yet won some of those games by 21-11 and 17-16 final scores. Seven defensive and special teams touchdowns helped make the offense look a little better than it was.

The Stars: Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy led a defense that intercepted 22 passes and held opponents to a 66.8 quarterback rating. Troy Brown caught 101 passes and returned two punts for touchdowns. Antowain Smith rushed for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns in an era when the Patriots were more likely to pound the ball from the I-formation than spread the field and throw.

Do You Remember: Otis “My Man” Smith? Smith intercepted five passes, returning two for touchdowns. Smith had a reputation for getting burnt badly in man coverage, but Belichick made him effective by using him in deep zones and allowing him to bait quarterbacks by playing off receivers.

BeliGenius Points: Smith was one of many over-the-hill castoffs assembled by the Patriots that year. The roster was full of players like Roman Phifer and Anthony Pleasant who didn’t appear to have much left when they arrived in Foxborough. Belichick earned a lot of credit for turning trash into treasure.

In a nutshell: Patriots haters (you know who you are) love to point out that the Patriots dynasty started with a dubious call in a playoff game and a bunch of narrow victories. And they are right. But every champion gets a break or two along the way. The Patriots used them to not just win a Super Bowl, but build a powerhouse.

The 2003-2004 Patriots

Brady was: The field general whose talents didn’t always show up in the stat sheet.

This was the golden age of comparing Brady to Peyton Manning -- Brady won Super Bowls while throwing for “only” 3,600 yards, while Manning threw for 4,000 yards and set touchdown records, only to fall short in the playoffs. Some people turned these facts into a referendum against Manning, but there was no denying Brady’s efficiency, or his success.

Belichick was: The mastermind behind the most efficient multi-purpose winning machine in the NFL. Even if he was a little odd.

The Style: Balanced. These Patriots could shut out opponents (they did so three times in 2003) or put up over 30 points against good opponents like the Eagles, Colts, or Titans. The spread-the-ball philosophy on offense became something of a fetish, with players like Christian Fauria and David Givens playing major roles.

The Stars: Tedy Bruschi and Richard Seymour emerged as defensive leaders. Willie McGinest led the team in sacks. Rodney Harrison arrived from San Diego and became a sometimes-controversial hammer in the secondary. Corey Dillon replaced Antowain Smith at running back and rushed for 1,600 yards in 2004. The Patriots were still a few years away from trying to punish the world with passing.

Do You Remember: Larry Centers? The long time Cardinals, Bills, and Redskins pass-catching fullback played his final season for the 2003 Patriots. The team still took the dumpster dive approach to filling their roster back then. In addition to the 35-year old Centers, the team tried to rehabilitate disappointing 49ers receiver J.J. Stokes, and 370-pound (rough, charitable estimate) defensive tackle Ted Washington played for the 2003 Patriots near the end of his nearly endless career.

BeliGenius Points: Mike Vrabel started playing in the short-yardage offense, and defensive tackle Dan Klecko began a slow transition to fullback. The Troy Bown nickelback experiment came a little later.

In a nutshell: These Patriots were efficient and excellent, a team without a weakness. They grew from pesky underdogs into a Yankees-like Evil Empire in the minds of some fans. In a few years, they were ready to live down to their new reputation.