As they hoisted their record third Vince Lombardi Trophy in four years, no one would have anticipated that the Dallas Cowboys wouldn't sniff another Super Bowl for the ensuing 30 years. Since defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, the Cowboys have won just five playoff games and have not advanced beyond the NFC divisional round. In fact, the Cowboys' conference title game drought is the longest in the NFC and the third longest in the entire NFL. Conversely, the New England Patriots' frequent trips to the big game over the past 30 years have made a seven-year hiatus seem like an eternity. This year marks the Patriots' 11th of 12 all-time Super Bowl appearance since 1996, the...
