RhodyPatriot

If Gronk, Talib and Chandler Jones are healthy this is a championship team.

KontradictioN

Yes with a healthy Gronk, Talib, and Dennard and with McCourty playing safety as well as improvements in the interior OL play.

No with the team we saw yesterday.

Stating the obvious, health is key.

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CREDIT - Sicilian

PatsDeb

Where's the "I dunno" button. This team is like the proverbial box of chocolates - you never know what you are going to get. They looked dominating there for a while but the last few weeks feel like an injury marred disaster. Hopefully it focuses them rather than makes the wheels fall off.

PATRIOTSFANINPA

The defense is too inconsistent,decent one minute and horrid the next.

I want to see two playoff games in a row where the defense has matured into a championship caliber type before I can say they can win it all.

The offense we all know is certainly capable if they avoid turnovers.

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Mack Herron

Agree Kontra and that is the reason it was so disheartening for me to see Talib trying to run with a hand on his hip. After trying for a couple of seasons to fix the pass defense BB made the trade for Talib that allowed him to put McCourty at Safety and suddenly the gaping hole in the defense vanished and a championship became a real possibility. Anything is possible, but without Talib, the equation changes dramatically.

PATRIOTSFANINPA

Inconsistency certainly would be the downfall of the 2012 NE Patriots if they do not improve going into the one and done games.....there are no more time for errors and mistakes once January rolls around.

One bad game now and its golfing in mid January for Tom Brady & co.

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JoeSixPat

Every Patriot team has been flawed. Heck, we've had WRs playing DB in the past.

The only thing that matters is good health for key players - and everyone - EVERYONE - playing together as a team.

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Perfection08

I voted "No" for the simple reason that this is not a healthy team. The secondary is good enough when Talib and Denard are 100%, but that hip injury of Talib's isn't going away soon, it appears. Forcing Arrington to the outside, we all know how that turns out. The cracks in the offensive line are starting to show, as well. Brady has really been beaten up the last few weeks and it is taking its toll on the offense.

I believe the Texans win showed more about the Texans than it did about the Pats. They mailed it in yesterday with a chance to solidify the one seed.

The Broncos, Seahawks, Niners, and Packers are all teams I believe are in a better position than the Pats to win a ring right now. And the way the Pats played yesterday, they can be bounced by any team that makes it to the playoffs. The return of Gronk will help, no question. But I don't know if it's enough.

The playoffs in recent years are about whatever team is hot. Despite calls to rest starters, I would rather see the Pats go all in dismantle the Fins on Sunday to get some momentum heading into the playoffs. Sadly, the health of the team may not allow this.

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NewFeep

Lotta very, very good posts in this thread thus far.... Health in general and to the secondary in particular sees to be the consensus regarding our chances.

I have a slightly different take on it: Can Gostkowski make a 48 yarder to win a game with less than 15 seconds on the clock? Because, chances are, one or more playoff games will come down to that........ Just sayin'.....

Joey007

Offensively as long as they don't play like yesterday then they're good to go as long as Gronk's back. I blame much of the inconsistency on offense due to a lack of variety in weapons. You take away Hernandez like the Jags did yesterday, you're stuck with two reliable WR targets that can't always be open, and a few midget running backs. Getting Gronk back will re-create the matchup nightmare we've been used to having.

Defensively a few things- first, obviously get healthy. That's getting Spikes, Talib, and Dennard healthy. I think Dennard and Spikes will be okay, and as long as Talib gets himself healthy so McCourty can play at safety we'll be good to go in the secondary.

As long as this team gets healthy, my one left concern will be the consistency of the pass rush. Much of it relies on Chandler Jones's performance moving forward. Hopefully he gets rolling after yesterday's performance at the end of the game.


So basically, get healthy and I say absolutely YES.

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Stevan Ridley. Bringing back the art of running the football back to New England since 2011.