Sports Illustrated has the Pats winning the AFC East

[Rob0729]

Ok one writer. And preseason predicts are like butts. Everyone has one and most of the stink.

But I figured I would post it anyway.

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2023/05/31/nfl-2023-season-why-patriots-will-win-afc-east

 

[Triumph]

3. The Patriots will win the AFC East

Bill O’Brien is back and carrying a new bag of tricks from his Alabama getaway. This offense can sensibly grind out games behind a brilliant defense. You’ll ask: But what about the Dolphins, Jets and Bills? My thought is that this division may end up collapsing in on itself a little bit. There are a lot of heavyweight punchers here, each of which have some very talented but fatal flaws. The Dolphins, for example, are going to have a tough time not burning themselves out. The Bills are dependent on reinventing themselves around an intentionally less mobile Josh Allen. The Jets’ title hopes rest on the shoulders of Aaron Rodgers, who may be great and newly motivated. He is also flirting with age 40 and may be starting to show it.


11. Rhamondre Stevenson will lead the NFL in rushing

The Patriots’ tailback is an unquestioned No. 1, with Ty Montgomery looking like he’ll assume the third-down responsibilities. Stevenson was 12th among running backs last year and roughly 600 yards off the pace set by Josh Jacobs, but he was in a fundamentally broken system with a more definitive platoon of backs.


97. Christian Gonzalez will win Defensive Rookie of the Year

As we’ve written a few times, Bill Belichick is still an excellent defensive coach. I’ve spoken to players who say his pregame tips and messaging are so good they feel it’s unfair. While I’m not suggesting his rookie cornerback needs this, if you pair an obviously talented player with expert instruction, the results are typically very good.

90. Steve Belichick will get a defensive coordinator interview outside of New England

While the Patriots’ pseudo-codefensive coordinator has long been associated with his famous father, one franchise engaged in a far-reaching head coaching hiring cycle will even bring Belichick in for a head coaching interview. The 36-year-old has been an assistant with the Patriots since 2012.

87. The Bills will clinch a playoff berth in wild fashion at the end of the season

Last year’s team of heartbreak will become this year’s late-season team of destiny. Facing a must-win situation at Miami in Week 18, Buffalo will win the game on a 54-yard field goal set up by a miraculous, diving pass by Josh Allen with time quickly ticking down.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

 

[BB8XSBW]

That's great, but I personally don't care much for division titles. Though I obviously agree with the writer, I have my sights set on Lombardi trophy #7, which I feel extremely confident in this season.

-The team has a real OC again
-Mac Jones in year 3
-Two legit TEs that will wreak havoc in the middle of the field
-Tyquan will have a real OC for the first time, Bourne will be used correctly, and JuJu will be playing with the best passer he has ever had in his career.
-Elite running game
-The defense, while already great, will be generational this season with the addition of Gonzalez, Keion White, and Mapu.

I do not see anybody challenging this team in 2023.

 

[archstanton543]

Ok one writer. And preseason predicts are like butts. Everyone has one and most of the stink.

But I figured I would post it anyway.

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2023/05/31/nfl-2023-season-why-patriots-will-win-afc-east

In other news, police arrest Sports Illustrated writer for possession of crack cocaine.

 

[PatsFan2]

Ok one writer. And preseason predicts are like butts. Everyone has one and most of the stink.

But I figured I would post it anyway.

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2023/05/31/nfl-2023-season-why-patriots-will-win-afc-east

Maybe with D-Hop in the fold that could be possible.

 

[JackBauer]

crawhammer won't like that one bit.

 

[Tunescribe]

crawhammer won't like that one bit.

Screw that guy. And all the other doom-and-gloom negative Nancy naysaying tool bags.

 

[irishfanatic]

crawhammer won't like that one bit.

He is at the head table of the Fellowship of the Miserable but it has a great many members and to some of them being miserable is what oxygen is like to the rest of
us. Expect them to flock to this thread with their negativity like flies to ****.

 

[Hyped]

We are now in the dog days of the off-season.....8 weeks to camp....

SI needs to drum up business....do they still even have a print edition?

 

[Guts]

Don't see it happening, but crazier things have happened.

 

[FCB02062]

The other day someone on 98.5 was saying he expects, as most of us do, the Patriots to run a last 1/4 of 2018 offense where they tried to be run first. This worked out great and they won a SB. but they also had greatest of all time QB and much better receivers to bail out the offense when Sony Michel gained 2 yards on first and second down.
My issue with this type of conservative offense is it will demand near perfection from a QB who still has the stench of Matt Patricia on him. That Fat Pig probably set Jones development back 5 years. We're talking needing 10-15 plays to score TDs, and given the QBs on the schedule the Pats will need touchdowns not a league leading field goal maker.

 

[crawhammer]

The author Conor Orr is the same moron who said the 2022 Patriots defense was a "classic Bill Belichick masterpiece" after they held the immortal Zach Wilson to 3 points in Foxboro. Wilson was so bad to that point in the season that the Jets didn't even dress him for the next three weeks. The friggin Jets went 1-6 after losing to the Patriots in week 11... so yeah, a classic BB masterpiece lol!

Conor even called the Patriots defense "clearly the best in the NFL." Oh, I don't know, I believe I recall San Francisco having a team last season. And the Patriots allowed 25.4 points per game after the "masterful" showing against Zach Wilson... 25.4 P/G... 30th! in the NFL. Oops.

Finally, this fool Conor Orr declared "Belichick is still really, incredibly, unfathomably good at this." He actually said that in the midst of a season that saw Belichick hand the franchise quarterback and offense off to Matt Patricia. Enough said.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Not impossible by any means. However when NE was a shoe in every year for the division title, there would always be that one writer going out in left field predicting another east team would topple them. Crazy right? Must be a click thing?

The game will always be played on the field.

 

[borg]

We are now in the dog days of the off-season.....8 weeks to camp....

SI needs to drum up business....do they still even have a print edition?

Was this prediction in the issue with the guy in a bikini on the cover?

 

[PatsFanSince74]

"Never say never...well almost never...maybe sometimes..."
Go Pats!

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Screw that guy. And all the other doom-and-gloom negative Nancy naysaying tool bags.

also nattering nabobs of negativism

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I mean, clearly we're headed for 17-0 regular season, it's just the chance of losing it all on the biggest stage that gives me nightmares...

 

[Tunescribe]

The other day someone on 98.5 was saying he expects, as most of us do, the Patriots to run a last 1/4 of 2018 offense where they tried to be run first. This worked out great and they won a SB. but they also had greatest of all time QB and much better receivers to bail out the offense when Sony Michel gained 2 yards on first and second down.
My issue with this type of conservative offense is it will demand near perfection from a QB who still has the stench of Matt Patricia on him. That Fat Pig probably set Jones development back 5 years. We're talking needing 10-15 plays to score TDs, and given the QBs on the schedule the Pats will need touchdowns not a league leading field goal maker.

The author Conor Orr is the same moron who said the 2022 Patriots defense was a "classic Bill Belichick masterpiece" after they held the immortal Zach Wilson to 3 points in Foxboro. Wilson was so bad to that point in the season that the Jets didn't even dress him for the next three weeks. The friggin Jets went 1-6 after losing to the Patriots in week 11... so yeah, a classic BB masterpiece lol!

Conor even called the Patriots defense "clearly the best in the NFL." Oh, I don't know, I believe I recall San Francisco having a team last season. And the Patriots allowed 25.4 points per game after the "masterful" showing against Zach Wilson... 25.4 P/G... 30th! in the NFL. Oops.

Finally, this fool Conor Orr declared "Belichick is still really, incredibly, unfathomably good at this." He actually said that in the midst of a season that saw Belichick hand the franchise quarterback and offense off to Matt Patricia. Enough said.

Aaaaaand right on cue!

 

[Jlaff]

I was all pumped reading the headline but then I remembered the Pats play the AFC East this year.