Free agency, the salary cap, roster turnover, the lack of preparation in training camp, injuries and attrition, inconsistent refereeing, and other factors have all contributed to making the NFL a league of parity. That appears to be what the NFL wants. They'd rather have a lot of close games mixed in with some blowouts and unpredictability than consistent play. Most teams in the NFL have been Jeckyl and Hyde, including most of the better teams in the NFL. NE, Indy, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Green Bay are all good examples.
I agree that it's hypocrisy to cherry pick our good moments and other teams' bad moments. I think that we're a better and more complete team than the other teams I just listed, but the games have to be played on the field, and the outcome will depend on who gives a better effort and executes better on a given day.
The Broncos have been the most complete and consistent team in the NFL this season, and they deserve credit for that. They have shown mental toughness and consistency to a greater degree than any other team. They should be the favorites right now. They've also played a fairly tough schedule. My only 2 caveats are (1) they've played 5 of their 7 games at home, and (2) it's early, and the team that appears dominant the first half of the season is often not the one standing at the end. But that's not to detract from what they've accomplished so far. The Pats will need to bring their A game to win this week.
