The final installment of a three-part series that examines Jets’ enemies AFC East.
The day the Patriots fans feared for a while here – life after Tom.
For most of the past two decades, you can put the Patriots in first place at AFC East then wonder if they will be good enough to get a bye in the playoffs and a home advantage. Now, their dominance in the division might end soon.
Coach Bill Belichick remains but Tom Brady is now in Tampa Bay, and the Patriots are not favorites to win the division. Can Belichick flourish without Brady? We will find out.
The following is the look of the Patriots 2020:
What they are
The Patriots started 8-0 last season and have a dominant defense. However, the second half of their schedule was more difficult, and the team’s game did not normally slip at the end of the year. New England went 4-4, including the defeat of Dolphins on Week 17 which made them have to pay for the first round. The Titans surprised them in the wild-card round, a loss that ended the Brady era for the Patriots.
Main disadvantage
QB Tom Brady (signed with Buccaneers), LB Kyle Van Noy (signed with Dolphins), LB Jamie Collins (signed with Lions), DT Danny Shelton (signed with Lions), S Duron Harmon (traded to Lions), WR Phillip Dorsett (signed with Seahawks)
Bill BelichickThe AP
Key Addition
Veteran: WR Damiere Byrd, DT Beau Allen, S. Adrian Phillips, LB Brandon Copeland
NFL draft: S Kyle Dugger (Lenoir-Rhyne), LB Josh Uche (Michigan), LB Anfernee Jennings (Alabama), TE Devin Asiasi (UCLA), TE Dalton Keene (Virginia Tech)
The Patriots will be one of the most exciting teams in the NFL this season. How will they fare without Brady? Can Belichick defend an exceptional division title (11 times in a row) or will they miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008?
It looks like the Patriots will turn to second-year midfielder Jarrett Stidham to replace Brady, unless veteran Brian Hoyer wins the job. Stidham barely played last season and entered the year as a big question mark. New England doesn’t do much to increase the offense around him, but it must have a strong running game with James White and Sony Michel taking the lead.
Brady is not the only player to be replaced by the Patriots. They lost several key players in defense – including midfielders Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins, who had a big role for the team. Belichick is an expert at finding players who are discarded by other teams and making them a major contributor.
This will be the biggest test of Belichick’s career. Over the years, debate has raged about who deserves more praise for the success of Patriot: coach or midfielder. With Brady now in Florida, Belichick can prove he is a football genius that many people believe.
Reasons for hope
The greatest coach in the history of football is still on the side. If anyone can survive Brady’s loss, it’s Belichick. The Patriots will definitely have a chip on their shoulders over the people writing it because Brady is gone. Can they use it as a little to motivate them for bigger things this year?
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Reason for despair
The greatest players in football history are no longer in their crowd. Brady might not be his vintage self last year, but he’s still pretty good. Stidham is completely unknown and can experience great difficulties when he adjusts to being an NFL starter.
Last word
Patriots can take a long time to thicken. There are many new faces on this team, not only in quarterback. Belichick’s reputation is the reason. If anyone knows this, it is Belichick. Expect the Patriots to stumble early but improve with the season.
