Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick — a winning combination if there ever was one — have rattled off 15 straight winning seasons. They’ve won 13 AFC East titles, six AFC Championships, and four Super Bowls.

Actions speak louder than words, but words tell the story and when it comes to telling the story of the New England Patriots over the last 15 years, the word most often used is winning.

Since 1994, when Kraft bought the team he rooted for from the stands at the old Schaefer Stadium, New England has gone 266-124 — that’s 45 more wins than the franchise had from when it was established in 1960 to 1993.


Here are some of the key words — and reasons — for the Patriots’ unmatched run.

Cunning

(n.) Dexterous or crafty in the use of special resources (as a skill or knowledge) or in attaining an end.

The look on John Harbaugh’s face is etched in the minds of diehard Patriots fans.

It was a combination of confusion, anger, and helplessness. The Ravens coach was apoplectic as he watched his defense run around like chickens with their heads cut off as they tried to stop a Patriots offense that was marching down the field in an AFC divisional-round game on Jan. 10, 2015.

With the Patriots trailing, coach Bill Belichick employed a strategy that called for just four offensive linemen. Needing to have at least five players on the line, the team had running back Shane Vereen or tight end Michael Hoomanawanui, normally eligible receivers, check in as ineligible and take a spot on the line.

The Ravens continued to cover the “ineligible” receiver, which often left an eligible target open.

“It’s not something that anybody has ever seen done before,’’ said a furious Harbaugh after New England’s come-from-behind, 35-31 win. “They’re an illegal type of thing.’’


The truth is, it was legal (“Maybe those guys gotta study the rule book and figure it out,’’ was Tom Brady’s postgame quip). Harbaugh’s comment that it wasn’t “something that anybody has ever seen done before” was actually a compliment.

It was an example of how the Patriots stay ahead of the curve in today’s NFL. Because of the perception that the franchise doesn’t always play by the rules — the fallout from Spygate and Deflategate scandals — the Patriots are often criticized, rather than praised, for their innovativeness and attention to detail.

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Shortly before the Ravens game, former Dolphins coach Don Shula perpetuated the perception when he referred to Belichick as Belicheat. The comment came across as petty from a man still bitter about Mark Henderson’s snowplow ride in 1982.

The “hey, they’re cheating” reaction popped up again in last season’s 28-21 opening victory over the Steelers.

During a crucial goal-line stand in the fourth quarter, the New England defensive line moved in unison at the behest of linebacker Jerod Mayo. The Steelers jumped and were nailed with a 5-yard false-start penalty.

After the game, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said the Patriots broke an “unwritten rule” and insinuated they were trying to simulate the snap count — which is illegal. The Patriots’ tactic, however, was perfectly legal.

“We don’t have to move at one time,’’ Belichick said the day after the game. “We’re not trying to simulate anything. We’re just trying to move the defense . . . Defenses have done that for, I don’t know, probably 75 years.’’


Keeping people on their toes is a Belichick specialty — and that’s whether he’s focused on his team or his next opponent.

Domination

(n.) Supremacy or preeminence over another.

Just flipping through the endless amount of football preview magazines (fantasy included) at your local bookstore (yes, they still exist), it’s clear which team is the favorite to win Super Bowl LI: The Patriots.

This is nothing new. It’s pretty much been this way since the Patriots won their first — Super Bowl XXXVI – 15 years ago. Since that shocking upset, the only shock comes when a prognosticator picks a team other than the Foxborough FC to take home the title.

The Patriots are riding streaks of 15 consecutive winning seasons, 13 seasons with at least 10 wins, and six with at least 12 victories.

During this magical run, Bill Belichick’s clubs have won 13 of the past 15 AFC East titles, including seven straight, earned six trips to the Super Bowl — and won it four times. They’ve been to five straight AFC Championship games.

One of the reasons for their sustained success is they never rest on their laurels. Complacency never seems to set in with the Patriots.

That was clear after they wrapped up their trip to last year’s AFC title game.

“Unbelievable,’’ said receiver Julian Edelman. “People don’t realize how tough it is to get there. It’s an unbelievable honor to play with these guys and to compete for an AFC Championship again. You can’t take it for granted. We know how hard it is to get there.’’


Tom Brady, the field general throughout this run, said, “It’s pretty hard to do, man.’’

The players take their cue from the coaching staff, which reminds them there are no carryover points from season to season. Everybody gets a clean slate on reporting day.

“What you did last year doesn’t get you a darn thing this year,’’ running backs coach Ivan Fears, who has spent 20 of 26 NFL seasons in New England, said on the eve of training camp. “Everybody starts all over again.’’

By any measuring stick, the Patriots’ dominant run is among the most impressive in NFL history. A look at where they stack up:

■ The 49ers collected 16 playoff appearances during an 18-year span (1981-98) that included 10 trips to the NFC title game and five Super Bowl crowns. The run, under the guidance of two Hall of Fame quarterbacks (Joe Montana and Steve Young) and two superb coaches (Hall of Famer Bill Walsh and George Seifert), is the gold standard.

■ The Cowboys made the postseason in 17 of 18 years from 1966-83, reaching the conference title game 12 times, and winning a pair of Super Bowls. Dallas also had a mini-run of domination in the early 1990s when it claimed three Super Bowls.

■ The Steelers won four Super Bowls during an incredible stretch between 1972-79 when they made the postseason every year and reached the AFC title game six times.


■ The Redskins won three Super Bowls between 1982 and 1991 with three different quarterbacks (Joe Theismann, Doug Williams, and Mark Rypien).

One important distinction between the Patriots and their dynastic competition: New England has pulled off its remarkable run during the salary cap era (introduced in 1994), when it’s harder to keep a team’s core together.

Manipulation

(n.) To use or change (numbers, information, etc.) in a skilled way for a particular purpose.

Buy low and sell high. It’s a winning formula in big business. And in the big business of the National Football League, nobody has followed that blueprint for success better than Bill Belichick.

The architect of the Patriots dynasty, Belichick and his staff have made trading commodities (i.e. players and picks) an art form. It’s only fitting, as Belichick was the central figure in the biggest trade in franchise history: the 2000 blockbuster that brought him to New England from New York.

For the record, the Patriots swapped the 16th overall pick in 2000 plus fourth- and seventh-rounders in 2001 for Belichick, a 2001 fifth-rounder, and a 2002 seventh-rounder. In the end, the Jets ended up with Shaun Ellis, the Patriots ended up with four Super Bowls.

That lopsided trade was the first of many transactions — draft picks, free agent signings, and, of course, trades — that have turned out in New England’s favor, with Belichick the common denominator in all of them.

Perhaps the best example of the buy-low, sell-high philosophy was Randy Moss. New England acquired the gifted receiver from the Raiders in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2007. Moss promptly set the NFL record for receiving TDs in a season with 23. He collected 259 catches with 50 TDs in three-plus seasons before he was shipped to the Vikings for a third-rounder.

Also in 2007, the Patriots landed Wes Welker for a pair of picks, and he grabbed 672 passes for nearly 7,500 yards and 37 TDs in six seasons. He had one decent year after leaving as a free agent in 2013.

Corey Dillon was acquired for a second-round pick in 2004 after a 541-yard season with the Bengals. The 30-year-old rumbled for 3,180 yards (including 1,635 his first year), 37 TDs, and a Super Bowl title. He was released shortly after the 2006 season and subsequently retired.

When it comes to selling high, the Patriots’ top trades include defensive lineman Richard Seymour (traded to the Raiders in September 2009 for a first-round pick) and guard Logan Mankins (traded to the Buccaneers for tight end Tim Wright and a fourth-rounder in August 2014).

Additionally, receiver Deion Branch was shipped to Seattle for a first-round pick in 2006. After three-plus middling/injury-riddled seasons with the Seahawks, he landed back in New England in 2010 for a fourth-round pick.

When it comes to the draft, Belichick loves to stockpile picks — especially middle- to late-rounders — and nobody has done better turning those selections into mega contributors.

The obvious place to start is with Tom Brady, whom the Patriots grabbed in the sixth round in 2000 with the 199th overall selection. The Patriots were targeting a QB with that pick but they didn’t just have eyes on Brady. Tim Rattay of Louisiana Tech was also in the mix.

“We started out a little bit on the Tim Rattay trail and [former quarterbacks coach] Dick Rehbein went down there and worked him out at Louisiana Tech,’’ Belichick said recently. “They ran a big spread offense and he had a lot of big numbers and all of that and we kind of liked him and thought that [he] might be a late-round pick. Then we got on Brady, so it was kind of Brady and Rattay in that [sixth round] . . . I guess we took the right one.’’

It was the first of many times Belichick identified a potential impact player and plucked him in a later round.

Belichick had a banner 2003 draft when he grabbed cornerback Asante Samuel (fourth round), center Dan Koppen (fifth), and linebacker Tully Banta-Cain (seventh). All were major contributors to Super Bowl winners.

Other examples include receiver David Givens (seventh round, 2002); quarterback Matt Cassel (seventh, 2005) kicker Stephen Gostkowski (fourth, 2006); special teams ace Matthew Slater (fifth, 2008); receiver Julian Edelman (seventh, 2009); offensive tackle Marcus Cannon (fifth, 2011); safety Nate Ebner (sixth, 2012); center Bryan Stork and running back James White (fourth, 2014); long snapper Joe Cardona (fifth, 2015); and tight end A.J. Derby (sixth, 2015).

The Patriots also have been adept at identifying free agents — particularly guys under the radar — they see playing a larger role on their team after disappointing runs during their previous stops.

There’s no greater example than former linebacker/defensive end Mike Vrabel. After four years and 51 games (with zero starts) in Pittsburgh, the former third-round pick signed on in New England.

Over the next eight seasons he became a stalwart and leader on some of the best Patriots defenses in history. He started 110 of his 125 games played and collected more than 600 tackles, 48 sacks, and 11 interceptions. For good measure, the part-time tight end added 12 career receptions good for 12 touchdowns — postseason included.

Vrabel’s also one of Belichick’s favorites. Last year, when Vrabel’s name came up in preparation for New England’s game in Houston (where Vrabel is now linebackers coach), Belichick smiled as he talked about what it was like to interact with him.

“He’d give me advice and I would tell him, ‘Mike, when you’re a coach and you’re calling the defenses, you should go ahead and do that. Here’s why we’re not going to do that. Or that’s a great idea. We can do that, that’s good, I’m glad you brought that up,’ ’’ Belichick said. “Mike is not afraid to make a suggestion, and we’ve had a lot of good discussions.’’

Rob Ninkovich is the modern-day Vrabel. After being waived four times by two franchises and playing in just eight games in three seasons (partly because of injuries), with six career tackles, he landed in Foxborough in 2009.

Ninkovich enters this season with 387 tackles, 42 sacks, 5 interceptions, and 14 fumble recoveries in seven years as a Patriot.

Inking Danny Woodhead hours after he was released by the Jets (who raved about him all camp long) was another stroke of genius. The little train that could scored 14 TDs in three years in New England.

Belichick also has signed his share of big-name free agents who have contributed to Super Bowl wins, including safety Rodney Harrison, running back Antowain Smith, cornerback Darrelle Revis, and linebackers Rosevelt Colvin and Roman Phifer.

Preparation

(n.) The activity or process of making something ready or of becoming ready for something.

Midway through the Patriots’ first joint practice with the Saints in early August, the teams assembled for kickoff drills. It was a standard exercise — deep kicks, pop-up kicks, and onside kicks were the focus.

But there was one big difference between the way the clubs spent their time during the period. As the Saints special teamers worked, their teammates — all of them — stood on the sideline and watched. The Patriots, however, were spread out working on other things.

The offensive linemen were smashing the sled on the far end of the field. The quarterbacks were working on the adjacent field throwing to tight ends.

The message was clear. There’s no wasted time at a Patriots practice. Every second is precious. For those two-hour sessions, the focus is on football and nothing else.

Back in the day when teams ran two-a-days, practice was different. There was more time to go over more things. Now it’s high intensity for the entire length of the clock. It’s maximum effort in minimum time.

“Practice is just preparation. It’s a necessary part of getting ready for the game. It’s part of preparation. It’s not punishment. It’s preparation,’’ coach Bill Belichick said in 2014. “You do the best you can as a coach to prepare your team. You do the best you can as a player to prepare yourself or prepare your teammates if you’re working with them and you’re giving them a look at what they’re doing. You’re the scout team, then you’re helping them prepare, just like they help you prepare. That’s the way I see all of that. It’s about preparation. That’s what practice is.’’

But what happens on the practice field is only part of the preparation. The moves behind the scenes are just as important.

Last season, depth was a problem for the Patriots in three areas: the offensive line (which was devastated by injuries seemingly on a weekly basis); at tight end (where there was a significant drop after Rob Gronkowski); and at cornerback (where it was a revolving door at the nickel spot).

So, in preparation for this season — building depth at those spots was the priority.

The Patriots traded for guard Jonathan Cooper (while also eliminating a pending big contract in Chandler Jones) and drafted Joe Thuney and Ted Karras.

At tight end, the team sent a fourth-round pick to Chicago to land Martellus Bennett, a top-five talent at the position. The move not only gives the Patriots a two-headed monster at tight end, it also protects them in case Gronkowski is hurt. When he was hurt last season, this offense was drastically different. If he’s hurt again, Bennett’s role will simply increase.

At cornerback, the Patriots used their top pick on Alabama’s Cyrus Jones, who may have locked up not only the nickel spot but also the punt returner’s job. It’s another two-fer, as Jones’s presence takes wear-and-tear hits away from current returners Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola.

Stability

(n.) The strength to stand or endure.

The pregame scene at Gillette Stadium is a busy one.

Assistant coaches are running the aisles. Julian Edelman is catching roughly a billion balls – a ton of them with one hand. New England trainers are putting questionable players through their final paces to determine whether they’re a go for the opening kickoff.

Stephen Gostkowski and his counterpart du jour are booming field goal attempts to determine their maximum distance for the day. Opponents wearing oversized headphones shuffle along the turf.

Coach Bill Belichick is making his rounds, checking in with his assistants before chatting with the visiting head coach.

Then there’s Robert Kraft. The owner can be spotted meeting and greeting with players, media, coaches, and VIPs of every level. And, of course, interacting with the fans.

These are vignettes that play out at the venue without fail. They are hallmarks of the league’s franchise. Stabilizing scenes.

Since the day he took ownership in 1994, Kraft began stabilizing the franchise. Since the day he took over as the head coach in 2000, Belichick began stabilizing the football operation.

“Consistency,’’ said veteran defensive end Chris Long, when asked the first word that comes to mind when he thinks of the Patriots.

That consistency and that stability starts at the top. With Kraft. During his family’s tenure, every other team in the AFC East has been sold. Since Kraft hired Belichick in 2000, the Bills and Dolphins have been through eight head coaches apiece. The Jets have had five.

In those 16 seasons, Belichick has 208 wins, four Super Bowl titles, six AFC championships, and 13 AFC East titles – including the last seven straight.

The stability trickles down to the players, where Tom Brady has been the locker room stabilizer since being installed as the starter in 2001. Other than his injury-lost season of 2008, when Matt Cassel filled in, only Brady has been the starter for the Patriots.

During that span, the Dolphins have had 16 starters. The Bills have trotted out 14 and the Jets 11.

To say success has bred success in New England would be an understatement. That stability is the reason New England is a destination for a veteran free agent. It’s the reason newcomers buy into the program right away.

“The guys in this locker room, it’s obvious why they’re here. They’re team players,’’ Long said this summer. “Everybody competes, works hard and takes it one day at a time. That’s what I see, and I’m just trying to do the best I can to fit into that group. The [veterans] in the locker room have done a great job welcoming all the new guys, including myself. Just good people.”

Follow Jim McBride on Twitter at @GlobeJimMcBride.