"No, it's not. This team is worse than last season, on both sides of the ball. That doesn't mean it can't win, but let's stop blowing smoke here."
DI,
I thoroughly disagree with your position. The 2011 edition is much better than the 2010 edition. Here is why:
1) The 2010 team couldn't rush the passer. 31 sacks/year is not an acceptable number. The 2011 edition is right on target for the number of sacks/season based on Belichick's SB Defense, and not some blitz happy coach's defense, that can roll up 50. And give up 10 or 20 long TDs when the blitz fails.
2) The depth at all positions is pretty good, save for the glaring problem at Safety, that the Pats played with all season. Of significance, the injured, except for Ras-I have all come back for the play offs.
3) The Offensive line where all offense begins is now composed of Light, Mankins, Connelly, Waters, and Vollmer/Solder/Cannon, with Koppens on IR. To me that is 8 starter or better quality, and there is more besides.
4) Brady is Brady and is having a fine year. Hoyer is more experienced if needed. the Offense is outscoring what the Defense yeilds by 11 points/game. This is an enormous gap.
5) The RBBC group is much healthier and better. Oft-injured Taylor and Morris are gone while Riddley, Vareen, BJGE, Woodhead and even Faulk are back. Don't discount having a genuine FB in Polite too. That is a new short yardage weapon.
6) Despite our concerns for the #3/4 WR, the first couple Welker and Branch are now proven and healthy, where as they were not last season. The TEs are simply the best in the league and healthy. Even Ocho is not a disaster as the #5/6 receiver with Edelman.
7) The LBs both inside and outside, are deeper and better than in half a decade. Fletcher and Spinks with Mayo and Ninko is a respectable and even potentially dangerous front. Don't forget to add Anderson and Guyton, who are healthy; and Carter/Cunningham who are not.
8) At CB the play is better and more experienced than last season. Arrington has developed, and has found the INT ability. McCorty has been betrayed by S play; never being there while the Pats had no valid Safeties. Now they have at least one and it shows. Edelman has found a position where his quickness, witness his PR capacity and Welker-light quickness as a WR, and ex QB knowledge is helpful in slot CB.
9) The Defensive line weakened recently against the run. But I suspect they often invited the run to help the pass defense. In any case, Pryor, Wright and Carter are on IR, but all the other walking wounded are now healthy. The return of the ILBs will help too.
10) Finally we come to Safety. I admit that this 2011 edition is and was much worse than last 2010 season. Sometimes playing games with out a single legitimate DB at either Safety position. But now Chung has returned. Through out the injury disaster, the team gave up yards and longer completions especially into the so-called 2-gap sideline hole. But in spite of that they gave up few Long TDs,as the receiver was usually tackled late, and did not get a clean breakaway. In spite of that, the Pats injury filled secondary, yielded only 21.5 ppg.
In summary, this 2011 edition is getting healthy as it goes into the Tournament. The past two incomplete editions were a lot shallower, and went in as walking wounded. That is a BIG DIFFERENCE.