NEW ARTICLE: Are the Patriots Possibly AFC Championship Contenders? Suddenly, it's Not as Crazy as it Sounds

[1960Pats]

Exactly Brady came in for Drew, Stidham didn't come in for Cam. Hence clearly Bill preferred Hoyer over stidham. When Bledsoe was hurt he preffered Brady. So Bill trusted brady in that situation and didn't trust Stidham.

The fact that Stidham is still on the team gives me some hope that he has potential. Not as much as Brady of course.
We'll never know for sure if Brady was going to take the job away from Drew in 2001. It took an injury for Brady to get the job.

 

[1960Pats]

Wow...what a bunch of pessimistic wimps in this thread!

The roster, as presently constructed, is a 11 win team with Cam at the helm and no major injuries, IMO.

I am just not sure that is enough for winning the AFC East and getting the lone BYE, but this team is going to the post-season....and likely divisional weekend.

I hope you're right about the 11 wins, but watching Cam bounce passes and struggle to recognize what's happening on the field while only passing for 8 TDs with 10 INTs doesn't make us wimps. It makes us realists.

 

[50-yard-line]

Where to begin? First, they didn't split with Buffalo last year. They should have, but they didn't. By the end of the year, they weren't competitive with either Miami or Buffalo - Cam had regressed badly and the young team just couldn't hold up.

They are a different team now, with a powerful middle (contract and talent) class. They should be MUCH better.

I strongly doubt that any QB taken in the draft is going to see the field unless they're out of contention, and even then, probably not. Rookie QBs don't win SBs.

With Judon, Van Noy, and Hightower, the run-stop additions to the D-line and some seasoning on some young talent, that Defense should be among the best in the conference. They're also deep and can withstand some injuries. The offense will be much improved IF (big IF) all the pieces come together. Of course, Cam right now is the lynchpin to that and the biggest question mark. Can he get the ball deep to Agholor when teams get caught cheating up to defend the others? Can he fix his footwork and make those short throws in a way to allow Smith to get his YAC?

Too many questions to think they're going to the AFCCG, but I'll never count out a BB team.

Right now, I think they're in a bunch at around the fourth tier in the AFC:

KC
Cleveland (This is my BOLD prediction and the one most likely to look really bad)
Buffalo and Baltimore
New England, Indianapolis, Miami, LA, Tennessee

These 9 should be the teams fighting it out to get those 7 playoff spots. Pittsburgh has to prove it all over again for me to put them there. Their schedule will be way tougher and they really were a paper tiger last year. Cleveland could utterly bust, of course, but if they can find some cinsistency, that's a scary team. Baltimore lost a lot of key players and I remain meh on Jackson. They always seem to be there, though. Buffalo has built a very good and well-rounded team. But a lot went right for them last year and they didn't get there and didn't really look competitive against KC (who could have lost to Cleveland and got smoked in the SB). I don't see where they're going to be better.

If any of that fourth tier will climb to the AFCCG, it will probably be New England. I do expect Cam to be the QB and I do expect him to be way better than last year. The AFCE looks to have a fairly easy schedule this year and it's possible that two wildcard teams come out from the East.

Thems my guesses anyway.

 

[Hyped]

I hope you're right about the 11 wins, but watching Cam bounce passes and struggle to recognize what's happening on the field while only passing for 8 TDs with 10 INTs doesn't make us wimps. It makes us realists.

Cam was only a part of the problem. Our run D regressed during the season. Then we lost Gilmore for rest of the season. From that point and on there was more pressure on the offense to produce. We have vastly upgraded the defense...barring any major injuries..this is the same D as last year + Hightower, KVN, Judon, Anderson, Godchaux, Mills, and a healthy Gilmore.

The game @ Buffalo last year is more representative of our talent level than the 2nd meeting. In the 2nd meeting, we couldn't stop them nor move the chains..things snowballed. In the first match up, we stopped them..but weren't able to score on the final drive. I am thinking of that game and Cam having the additional weapons of: Edelman, Bourne, Algohor, Henry, and Smith.

A realist can easily see 11 wins next year.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Newton is beyond horrible! If he is on the field, we have zero chance at a .500 record!

as for stidham, he needs to go from zero to hero in the next couple months. That is a talk order as he has apparently lost the faith of the coaches and the locker room!

 

[BlueThunder]

I'm an optimist until proven otherwise. The way I see last year is:

1. Tough schedule based on SOS. Easier this season.

2. Cam had no TC plus Covid and return from injury.

3. Weaker team with Covid opt outs.

4. No viable Offensive weapons except RB's.....He looks to have a full complement of weapons this season.

I am thinking BB keeps Cam on roster for his locker room presence in helping meld an entirely different team with all the FA acquisitions. He also gets new weapons on Offense with 2 TE's who should give opposing Defenses problems. Hoping Cam's problems last season will be diminished with a full offseason and TC along with his revamped Offense. We should know early on if Cam is washed up as an on the field general .....

In BB We Trust .

 

[sb1]

Exactly Brady came in for Drew, Stidham didn't come in for Cam. Hence clearly Bill preferred Hoyer over stidham. When Bledsoe was hurt he preffered Brady. So Bill trusted brady in that situation and didn't trust Stidham.

And last year proved it was for a good reason. Not an NFL QB.

 

[lancerman]

I really don’t see a way you put the Pats over KC, Buffalo, and Baltimore just going off what we know. Could argue the Titans as well.

 

[Biffins]

I don't think Cam is worthless trash, but I don't think he is a good QB any more, and his style of playing doesn't fit the Pats' offense. I'm hoping for a miracle in the draft, and/or that the addition of some TE/WR talent will help Cam (but probably not enough).

Even if we get a miracle in the draft, the rookie will likely sit out this year behind Cam (like Mahomes did behind Alex Smith).

 

[NormZauchin]

Even if we get a miracle in the draft, the rookie will likely sit out this year behind Cam (like Mahomes did behind Alex Smith).

Smith was 10-6, with 26 TDs, 5 interceptions, and a QBR of 104.7 in 2017. Easy to sit Mahomes with that kind of production from the starting quarterback. I'll go out on a limb and say that Cam in 2021 will not match the Smith of 2017.

 

[PatsDeb]

Even if we get a miracle in the draft, the rookie will likely sit out this year behind Cam (like Mahomes did behind Alex Smith).

I'm sure that's the plan, but I don't know that Cam is good enough to last the year.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Stupid post - Dan Snyder tried to buy a championship for years with all flashy off season moves and the result was zilch..... You can't buy a championship by getting pieces here and there,they must gel as a team to get to where they want to go and sometimes it does not work out that way - we will see

Dan Snyder had absolute trash coaches for years too

 

[venecol]

Correction on OP article: BUF swept Pats 24-21 and 38-9.

I think it's too early to think this team as presently formed can be in the AFCCG. As others have said, need to see if the team gels around the 14 new acquisitions (even with some ex-players).

There are several valid concerns that won't be answered until preseason or even mid season:

1. Make sure the DL acquisitions don't go the way of Bennett, Allen or Pennel.
2. Will the new WRs be able to "get" the Pats complicated playbook. How will Agholor perform against CB#1 coverage?
3. Can Hunter Henry stay healthy or miss 3 to 5 games?
4. Where does the secondary end up with ?? about Gilly and JC.
5. Can Judon, who's coming from a team that blitzed at 44.1% (#1 in the league), perform at the same level in a D that blitzed at only 24.4% (#23)?

All of these are valid questions that we won't know the answers to until probably Oct-Nov. Some of these guys may not make it out of camp.

Need to wait for the draft and the QB question to be resolved. I hope Bill gets more DL help in the draft.

 

[mgteich]

Smith was 10-6, with 26 TDs, 5 interceptions, and a QBR of 104.7 in 2017. Easy to sit Mahomes with that kind of production from the starting quarterback. I'll go out on a limb and say that Cam in 2021 will not match the Smith of 2017.

I disagree; we could very well win 10 game with Cam (or 12 with Jimmy).

 

[NormZauchin]

I disagree; we could very well win 10 game with Cam (or 12 with Jimmy).

I also think that it's possible to win twelve games with Jimmy or ten with Cam. My point was more that Smith played at a high level with the Chiefs in 2017 while winning 10 games. I could see the Pats winning 10 with Cam starting, but the result being more because of the defense, special teams, and the running game. Cam could be putting up weak numbers in this scenario and there would be pressure to put in the rookie, particularly after each of those 6 losses.

 

[davidjc]

Cam Newton is the limiting factor. BB got to get creative and get a QB from somewhere. Another 6th round GOAT would not hurt about now. You know every year I am sure there is some great QB that just goes unnoticed in the draft. Who knows how many of the very greats we have just let slip right through.

 

[Pats1971]

Cam was only a part of the problem. Our run D regressed during the season. Then we lost Gilmore for rest of the season. From that point and on there was more pressure on the offense to produce. We have vastly upgraded the defense...barring any major injuries..this is the same D as last year + Hightower, KVN, Judon, Anderson, Godchaux, Mills, and a healthy Gilmore.

The game @ Buffalo last year is more representative of our talent level than the 2nd meeting. In the 2nd meeting, we couldn't stop them nor move the chains..things snowballed. In the first match up, we stopped them..but weren't able to score on the final drive. I am thinking of that game and Cam having the additional weapons of: Edelman, Bourne, Algohor, Henry, and Smith.

A realist can easily see 11 wins next year.

You cannot win in this league without a special QB, its really that simple, at least not consistently. A great QB makes others around them better, not needs guys to make them better. If you are saying we can win in spite of our QB, I just cant buy that. Can they have a better record? For sure, but to be what we were, its not going to happen until the QB position is taken care of.

 

[Pats1971]

I also think that it's possible to win twelve games with Jimmy or ten with Cam. My point was more that Smith played at a high level with the Chiefs in 2017 while winning 10 games. I could see the Pats winning 10 with Cam starting, but the result being more because of the defense, special teams, and the running game. Cam could be putting up weak numbers in this scenario and there would be pressure to put in the rookie, particularly after each of those 6 losses.

The issue with JG is health, and I am not sure he could ever reach that ceiling of elite. He can win you games, but I think when the big pressure is on, he is not going to overcome. I guess it depends on expectations. Is it superbowls or getting into the playoffs or having a winning record.

 

[NormZauchin]

The issue with JG is health, and I am not sure he could ever reach that ceiling of elite. He can win you games, but I think when the big pressure is on, he is not going to overcome. I guess it depends on expectations. Is it superbowls or getting into the playoffs or having a winning record.

Neither Cam nor Jimmy played that well in their sole Super Bowl appearances. Cam had a poor overall game and Jimmy failed to come through in the fourth quarter. Based on their respective histories, if the Pats want to win the Super Bowl and not just get there, they might have to look elsewhere.

 

[Pats1971]

Neither Cam nor Jimmy played that well in their sole Super Bowl appearances. Cam had a poor overall game and Jimmy failed to come through in the fourth quarter. Based on their respective histories, if the Pats want to win the Super Bowl and not just get there, they might have to look elsewhere.

I do not believe either can get us to the promise land, but then we have to have someone there. It would be nice if a 6th round Brady dropped in our laps again but those chances are slim. Cam has not played well in 5 years, he is old for a running QB as it is and he went to a team that covets quick decisions and pre snap reads which is not his thing. JG is what I would call above average but inconsistent, and its hard to rely on him stay healthy.