Let the Hyberbole Begin

[Steve102]

I'd love that to be true but no. You had an ascending GOAT QB and an established GOAT HC (regardless what the haters will say) and a stacked offense, with a core of the team that had already won 3 Lombardis. This 2026 team is on the rise but they haven't accomplished anything remotely similar.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I see it as a 2007 lite

Theyre not going to be as good as 07 but there are some parrallels here, both qbs didn’t have near the weapons they had prior so a new level is likely being unleashed here.

Brown and Doubs i predict will elevate maye’s game a good deal, just not to the level of what Moss and Welker did for Tom in 07. Moss-Brady was a generational pairing, still crazy to me nobody thought Moss was worth more than a 4th despite the concerns.

 

[sb1]

I guess ESPN doesn't think we're like the 2007 Patriots...14th in their power rankings

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48845972/2026-nfl-season-football-power-index-projections-super-bowl-chances-simulations

 

[mgteich]

I am not comparing the teams. On paper, they are not that far off, but it's how you execute that matters.

.

Yup, if Maye, Brown, and Doubs execute as well as Brady, Moss and Welker, we can then look at the rest of the Offense and see whether we are really not that far off.

Personally, I believe that our Offense is very far off at QB and WR, and as I said I haven't detailed the rest.

 

[mayoclinic]

Of course, we could be part of the real competition, instead:

Browns now pose real threat to Jets in 2027 NFL draft

The Cleveland Browns now pose a real threat to the New York Jets in the 2027 NFL draft after trading Myles Garrett.

jetswire.usatoday.com

 

[Ring 6]

The difference between the 2007 Patriots and the 2025 Patriots was essentially a TD per game.

Half of that difference was red zone conversion. The other half was red zone trips.

2025 scored the same number of > 20 yards TDs as 2007.

2007 50/72 red zone which is 3.13/4.5 per game.
2025 36/63 red zone which is 2.12/3.71 per game.

So to equal the 2007 team they need to increase red zone conversion from 57% to 69% (+8 TDs) and get to the red zone 14 more times in 17 games.

Is AJ Brown and OL improving enough to do that?

I think having Maye in year 2 of a functional offense plus Brown here and Campbell, Henderson, Wilson in year 2 plus AVJ seems like it could solve the red zone efficiency.

I felt we left a trip to the red zone per game on the field last year because of the OL.

Crazy as it seems this isn’t crazy as it seems.

 

[TommyD4207]

The Chiefs odds are based on reputation and that's it. They're not that good. Pats absolutely should be ahead of them on this list.

Casual money dwarfs smart money these days. Vegas is going to feast on all the Chiefs and Bills future bets this year.

 

[farn]

4-13
4-13
SB game

While it is futile to compare some of the strongest teams NE has had during their successful run, there IS reason to be excited. We were a non factor & in danger of being uninteresting for years. A great turnaround with a talented young QB and a savvy HC has people buzzing again.

That’s what’s important. And good for the team feeling confident enough to get the big ticket WR.

 

[TheRainMaker]

https://www.dazn.com/en-US/news/american-football/patriots-super-bowl-lxi-odds-aj-brown-trade-2026/1sah440jt4m3412nqvayl092p5

I was waiting for some moron to say the Bills are AFC favorites. That roster continually gets worse. These people will never learn.

Chiefs are absolutely cooked.

Pats and Broncos are easily the top two teams in the AFC. Bills, Ravens, Chargers, Texans are contenders.

Rams are the clear favorite in the NFC.

 

[mgteich]

I was waiting for some moron to say the Bills are AFC favorites. That roster continually gets worse. These people will never learn.

Chiefs are absolutely cooked.

Pats and Broncos are easily the top two teams in the AFC. Bills, Ravens, Chargers, Texans are contenders.

Rams are the clear favorite in the NFC.

we won't force you to read the media or the bettor's odds. You should and make a fortune, being a much better judge than those who set the odds.

 

[Ring 6]

we won't force you to read the media or the bettor's odds. You should and make a fortune, being a much better judge than those who set the odds.

Seriously? How much did you make going with the favorites last year?
Are you honestly saying that the group thinking going into Vegas favorites is better than actually analyzing and having your own evaluation?

 

[Wozzy]

Seriously? How much did you make going with the favorites last year?
Are you honestly saying that the group thinking going into Vegas favorites is better than actually analyzing and having your own evaluation?

It’s not…



Every year a dark horse team, often one from both conferences improves mightily. This is the parity the NFL was actively trying to achieve.

Smart coaches and front offices can turn a team around in one season like the Pats did… if they have some existing talent, clean books (cap) and an eye for talent.

The “rebuild” for the Pats didn’t start last season, it happened back in 2022 when they cleared all the dead cap off the books from the last dynasty. All they needed was ownership to enable a good coach and get out of the way.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Key difference is the o-line situation in 07 vs today. Except for the Super Bowl, that line gave Brady all day. I hope we'll see similar things from this new line. But things will have to rapidly improve.

The 2024 OL was such a shambles that even honestly average to below average play from our OL in 2025 was a MASSIVE improvement. If we can play at an average to above average level this year, we got something.

 

[Ian]

The Chiefs odds are based on reputation and that's it. They're not that good. Pats absolutely should be ahead of them on this list.

I will say that if Mahomes can't run around and improvise, I don't think he's a guy who can just be a pocket guy. Teams have done a good job figuring out how to contain him and you can see the physical toll it's been taking. That and the loss of talent and the age on that roster, I also don't feel like they're as dominant as they once were. They'll be good, but definitely no longer what they were.

 

[Ian]

It’s not…



Every year a dark horse team, often one from both conferences improves mightily. This is the parity the NFL was actively trying to achieve.

Smart coaches and front offices can turn a team around in one season like the Pats did… if they have some existing talent, clean books (cap) and an eye for talent.

The “rebuild” for the Pats didn’t start last season, it happened back in 2022 when they cleared all the dead cap off the books from the last dynasty. All they needed was ownership to enable a good coach and get out of the way.

LOL, you crushed that one last year. I remember similar stories from people who did back in the day, and it's definitely cool to see. Well done.

 

[Ian]

Key difference is the o-line situation in 07 vs today. Except for the Super Bowl, that line gave Brady all day. I hope we'll see similar things from this new line. But things will have to rapidly improve.

The 2024 OL was such a shambles that even honestly average to below average play from our OL in 2025 was a MASSIVE improvement. If we can play at an average to above average level this year, we got something.

Health is definitely going to be the key. They've got a little better depth at tackle, but still not much margin for error everywhere else. A lot will hinge on Wilson and Vera-Tucker. If either of those guys get hurt, there's Ben Brown, and then seemingly a bunch of question marks unless someone surprises. Rupcich seems to be one of those guys in the earlygoing, but they need a little luck this year that everyone can make it through. If they can, it should be a fun year.

 

[Wozzy]

I will say that if Mahomes can't run around and improvise, I don't think he's a guy who can just be a pocket guy. Teams have done a good job figuring out how to contain him and you can see the physical toll it's been taking. That and the loss of talent and the age on that roster, I also don't feel like they're as dominant as they once were. They'll be good, but definitely no longer what they were.

I think Mahomes can be a pocket guy, not sure the Chiefs can create a pocket and sustain it… which has been their biggest problem offensively for a couple years.

When tthey paid Mahomes, when his cap charge caught up and started hurting them, they started trading away players or letting their own expensive free agents walk. One was Orlando Brown, they’ve been using bandaids at left tackle ever since. We’ll see if they put together a good OLine this year.

The reality was when Mahomes arrived and was an instant MVP his offensive line and teammates around him were superior. But we saw in the Tampa Bay Super Bowl later what happens when his line breaks down due to injury or free agency. No QB can play without a team around him, not Mahomes, not Brady… put superior blocking around Mahomes and he’ll have a revival… if not he’ll continue to struggle.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I always look at it the same, get to the playoffs, see how the seeding comes out and who is missing who and where, and then which teams are playing their best, then figure out who should be favored.

 

[Wozzy]

LOL, you crushed that one last year. I remember similar stories from people who did back in the day, and it's definitely cool to see. Well done.

I picked the 49ers in 2019 also. It’s not magic, a cheap bet will pay out huge. If you break down all 32 teams you can make an educated guess. Choose two teams from each conference, place a couple hundred bucks down and it’s easy money. The odds are long in July.

 

[imahobgoblin]

Every team is 0-0. Our appearance on paper means nothing. We have no idea how the rest of the league will shake out. Once injury can change an entire season. We just need to win one game at a time and not worry about all this hyperbole trash.