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Definitely not trying to dispute that you have defensive issues currently. My point is, what team--what contender--doesn't have significant issues this year? People cite GB as a juggernaut but the truth is their secondary issues are arguably just as bad...and everyone else has major concerns in other areas. Indy won the SB with a historically bad run D, Pitt won it with a historically bad OL in '08 (at least in SB terms). No reason in this day and age why you can't win with a "historically bad" pass D...particularly when (from an outsider's perspective anyway) you have an elite coaching staff, and ample time to improve.
Anyone watching the Patriots defense without blinders on knows how bad it is right now. Anyone watching Green Bay's defense without blinders on knows that it's better than its statistical ranking, which is still better than the Patriots.
As for your "No reason..." point, there's obviously a reason. That reason is the playoff schedule. Now, is it possible that a team can get lucky and face teams they match up with? Sure, but you don't want to need that sort of luck.
Or, to put it another way, if the Patriots had to face Baltimore/NYJ, Pittsburgh and Green Bay to win the Super Bowl, do you really think they'd have much of a chance with this defense playing at or near its current level?
Belichick was recently featured in a documentary, and one of the interesting moments in the thing was when he conceded what a lot of us had been saying about that team: Stop Welker and Moss, and the Patriots are done. This year, it's "Stop Welker and just limit the TEs, and the Patriots are done." Not much has changed. As great as Brady is, he can't do it alone.
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