I'm beginning to channel my inner Off-the-Grid and starting to logically think that this is our year, despite the voices of pessimism that naturally also reside in my head.
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We will be, overall, as healthy as any team we've had heading into the playoffs in years, and maybe ever.
We have our best running attack since 2004, but it's actually deeper and more balanced now.
We just made a super bowl run last year, and have improved every facet of both our offense and defense.
We have moved the chains better than any team in NFL history this year.
We led the league in rushing TDs, for crying out loud, with the greatest QB ever.
We scored the most points in the NFL by such a wide margin that the #2 team (Denver) is closer to the #9 team in PPG than to us at #1.
Almost all of this offensive excellence occurred without Gronk and AHern on the field at the same time.
Despite the pace which results in way more possessions overall per game, we were a respectable 9th in scoring defense.
We dominate turnover differential, leading the AFC in fewest fumbles, in fewest interceptions, while forcing the most fumbles in the NFL, and while making the most interceptions in the AFC
We have beaten our main AFC competitors this year, except for the Ravens (who benefitted from replacement official fiasco calls at home)
Our main hurdle is Denver, who we've recently OWNED, with a defense coached by Del Rio, who we have always OWNED, with a quarteback named Peyton who is sub-0.500 for his career in the playoffs.
Somebody tell me what will go wrong?
The list of negatives is pretty small:
1) Gost had a subpar year
2) KO return seems weak, but most are touchbacks anyway
3) We may have to travel to Denver
Talk me down from this incredible confidence for at least getting to the Super Bowl, and likely winning it all. It seems strange.