cstjohn17

I am of two minds with this one...

Feels like the same old recipe, they team will win or lose with Brady. If he can play elite football they have an excellent chance, if he is not elite the other units are not strong enough to carry the team.


Bright Side
- elite quarterback
- elite offense
- elite coaching
- no dominant teams in the NFL
- relatively healthy

Sour side
- defense is average or below average
- pass defense is poor (This has become self-fulfilling, teams know they are poor and boldly abandon the run to attack the Patriots)
- league is competitive, at least 5-6 teams have true shots at the Superbowl
- run game is inconsistent, against light boxes they can run but when asked to man up and run against base defenses they struggle

randomk1

Yes but if we're healthy.

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olschool

If they hadn't forgotten how to play pass defense for the past few years, Eli Manning wouldn't have two rings now.

Anyone who thinks they can win the big one with this pass defense is smoking too much wacky tabacky.

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dannydyn

If they play like they played against the Texans - Yes
If they play like they played last night - you've got to be kidding me.

I'm not used to seeing so much inconsistency in this team.

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PATSYLICIOUS

If Talib/Dennard/McCourty are healthy and able to play their CB1/CB2/FS positions where the defense has been able to play at it's peak, then I like our chances. If not, our offense is good enough to give us a shot but I don't see it happening.

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jmt57

I wonder how much of a change there would be to the responses to this question if yesterday's game was played two weeks ago, and the Pats had just defeated the Texans 42-14 last night.

PlainOldEd

If not them, who?

Ivan

Given that they are better than last year's team and that team won the AFc Championship i would have to say yes, but the only thing that will demonstrate it is winning a championship. There isn't a team in the league that doesn't have flaws and weaknesses, and any team that wins it all will still have to address those areas in the offseason, as will the Patriots, so yeah, the Patriots are a championship caliber team. Whether or not they can prove that is still a question.

Salva135

As presently constructed injury-wise, they may not get out of the first round. If the OL can get its **** together, and Talib/Dennard/Gronk are 100%, we have as good a shot as anyone. The Broncos are great but not some superteam, and the Texans have been flailing in the second half of the season. The AFC is wide open if the Pats can put it all together.

The NFC/Super Bowl is a different story.

Brady2Gronk

If we can get Dennard and Talib back healthy for the playoffs then yes.