With another football season upon us, the New England Patriots are once again one of the top teams in the NFL. Since 2011, the Pats have played in every AFC championship, winning six of them, including three straight wins. They have become one of the best dynasties in all of sports and that could continue during the 2019 campaign.
Here are some of the reasons why this team is destined for their fourth straight Super Bowl appearance.
The GOATs: Yes, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are still in the NFL. Year after year, they both show why they are the greatest coach/QB tandem ever. With both guys still together, they continue to keep the Patriots dominant.
- Ageless wonder: Brady will be 42 by the start of the 2019 season. He shows no signs of slowing down as one of the best quarterbacks of the league. Last season, at age 41, Brady threw 29 touchdown passes, most ever by a quarterback over the age of 40. The crazy TB12 method is keeping Brady fresh and playing better than ever.
- Football genius: Bill Belichick keeps playing chess while everyone else in the NFL is playing checkers. When a coach that has won eight total Super Bowls is at the helm, no one can ever count his team out. No matter who he has on his team, Belichick continues to lead the Pats to the playoffs and beyond.
Big pickups: Whether it was through the draft or in the offseason, the Patriots once again loaded up on both sides of the ball. The “next man up” mentality will once again be shown in the 2019 season.
These are the guys who will help bring the Pats to Atlanta.
- N’Keal Harry: One of the most highly touted wide receivers in the 2019 draft, Harry fell all the way to 32, which was a steal for Belichick and company. He will be a great deep threat for Brady, replacing Chris Hogan, who is now in Carolina.
- Jamie Collins: After the Patriots traded him in 2016 for a third rounder, he is back in Foxboro to join a deep linebacker unit. He posted 104 tackles and four sacks with the Browns last season. The dynamic duo of Collins and Dont’a Hightower is back and scarier than ever.
- Michael Bennett: The Pats traded a fifth round pick for Bennett and a seventh rounder. In his only season with the Eagles, Bennett had nine sacks, which was second on the team. His veteran presence and intensity will be a huge addition to this already stacked defense.
Weak division: Another year, another weak AFC East where the Patriots are the favorites to capture the title. Let’s take a look at each team and see why the Patriots will win an 11th straight AFC East title.
- New York Jets: Although they got Le’veon Bell, the New York Jets are still a mess. They fired their GM, Adam Gase has crazy eyes, and no one knows if Sam Darnold is the real deal yet. The Pats definitely have the upper hand against the Jets this season.
- Buffalo Bills: Bills struggled on the offensive side of the ball and that may continue.They ranked 30th out of 32 teams in terms of point scored last season. Josh Allen was good when he played, but he is still young and his best weapon is Zay Jones, who is not a No. 1 receiver on a playoff team.
- Miami Dolphins: Former Pats defensive coordinator Brian Flores is now the head coach in Dade county, but former Belichick coaches are 9-14 versus him all time. They have a decent defense, but nowhere close to New England’s. The Dolphins may win a game at home in the regular season, but they are so inferior to Belichick’s squad in terms of skill.
Competition?: Every offseason, people will look to find any team besides the Patriots to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Here are the teams that could give a Patriots a run for their money.
- Kansas City Chiefs: Andy Reid has never beaten the Pats in the postseason, and that may continue in the coming postseason. Although Patrick Mahomes had an unreal 2018 season, will he be able to replicate that success again?
- Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck is an elite quarterback, but he has never beaten the Patriots in his career. It looks like that will continue as long as Belichick is still coaching in Foxboro.
- Houston Texans: The Texans have never been to the AFC championship in their franchise history. If they are able to get past the first round, then there is a discussion for them challenging for the Pats for a Super Bowl berth.
- Cleveland Browns: The Browns added Odell Beckham Jr. in the offseason, making their offense one of the best in the AFC. As history has shown us in the playoffs, the teams that beat the Patriots have an elite defense, something that the Browns lack.
The bottom line: Barring any major injuries, The Patriots are set up to make it back to the 2020 Super Bowl. They reloaded in the offseason on both sides of the ball, especially on defense. Even with some of the losses on offense, Tom Brady is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Brady and Belichick show no signs of slowing down, making them once again the favorites to make the Super Bowl for a fourth straight season.