The New England Patriots are trying to win their fourth NFL Super Bowl in franchise history when they battle the defending champion Seattle Seahawks this Sunday at Super Bowl XLIX in Phoenix, Arizona.

Despite not having much success before 2000, the Patriots have been able to win three championships in the 21st century.

This is the Patriots' eighth trip to the Super Bowl, so we at Latin Post decided to compare this squad to previous teams in the past.

The Patriots first Super Bowl appearance came in the 1985 season when they finished second in the AFC East behind Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins. Despite being a wild card team, the Patriots rallied, winning three playoff games over the New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, and earning a huge upset win in the AFC Championship game against the Dolphins.

Quarterback Tony Eason (who was drafted ahead of Marino) led the ninth ranked offense in the league. Similar to today, the Patriots didn't have an elite wide receiver then either. It proved to be detrimental as the Patriots were dismantled by the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl, 46-10.

A decade later the Patriots were back in the big game with Bill Parcells coaching the team. Drew Bledsoe and Curtis Martin led the offense while Tedy Bruschi was just a rookie. Terry Glenn led the '96 Patriots in receiving yards with 1,32 yards, but Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers had different plans.

The Packers won the 1997 Super Bowl with special teams player Desmond Howard getting the Most Valuable player award.

For the next three seasons, Pete Carroll was the Patriots' head coach. Ever since then, Bill Belichick has been coaching the Patriots. On Sunday, they will be coaching against one another. Pretty ironic how things turn out isn't it?

Belichick led the Patriots to three Super Bowl victories in four seasons from 2001 to 2004. In their first Super Bowl, they defeated the heavily favored St. Louis Rams offense known as the "Greatest Show on Turf." The 2004 Patriots were the most balanced squad thanks to the addition of running back Corey Dillon. That year, Dillon ran for 1,635 yards, giving quarterback Tom Brady a reliable option on the ground.

The 2004 Patriots squad ranked Top 10 in offensive points scored and yards gained, and their defense was also Top 10 in points and yards allowed. Back-to-back Super Bowl victories over the Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers made the Patriots the first team since the Denver Broncos to win consecutive Super Bowls.

The Patriots haven't won a Super Bowl since losing to the New York Giants in each of their last two appearances.

The biggest difference with recent Patriots teams compared to the Super Bowl teams of the early 2000s is the defense. Four of the last five seasons, the Patriots defense hasn't even ranked in the Top 25 in the league. Losing key defensive players such as Tedy Bruschi, Ty Law, Richard Seymour and Rodney Harrison has taken its toll. Not having Romeo Crennel as the defensive coordinator hasn't helped either.

Now the Patriots rely a lot more on their offense to win games rather than before, particularly their passing attack. Brady is an effective quarterback, but at times, he is asked to do too much because the defense allows too many points. The Patriots defense will have to be great on Sunday if they want to hoist a fourth Lombardi Trophy.

If the Patriots lose, they will be tied with the Broncos for most losses in Super Bowl history with five.

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