The New England Patriots have been a threat in the AFC for some time now as they seem to have a great team every year. They’re led by one of the best coaches in the game with Bill Belichick and have arguably the best quarterback in the league right now, in Tom Brady. The Patriots will be without some key players this season, but will that stop the always tough New England team?
After spending six seasons with the Patriots, wide receiver Wes Welker signed with the Denver Broncos this offseason. He proved to be an important part to the Patriots success and was a great target for Brady for those six years. He had 7,459 yards and 37 touchdowns in his time with the Patriots. He’s a great offensive weapon and will be missed by Brady and the New England offense; however he isn't irreplaceable. They signed Danny Amendola to act as Welker’s replacement. While his numbers are nowhere near as good as Welker’s (666 yards and three touchdowns in 2012) he can do what needs to be done and help the Patriots offense. An area of concern for Amendola is injury as he missed the entire 2011 season due to dislocating his elbow and then injuring a tricep during practice that same year.
Tight end Rob Gronkowski, or Gronk, is an important piece to the Pats offense and it has been a stressful offseason for him. He’s had arm issues in the past and this offseason he’s had four surgeries. The most recent being a surgery on his forearm to get rid of an infection and the doctors also inserted a new plate that will hopefully speed up the healing process. There’s more bad news for Gronk as he might also need back surgery. The good news? The recovery times would overlap and he would still be expected to be ready by training camp, but it’s never a sure thing with injuries and surgeries.
In three seasons with the patriots, Gronk has had 2,663 yards and 38 touchdowns. Great numbers and a great offensive weapon for Brady to have. He didn’t play the full season last year as he only played in 11 games, but still had an impact. For the Patriots to have continued success, make the playoffs, and advance in the playoffs, they’ll need Gronk to stay healthy and put up some good numbers.
Luckily for New England though, they have another tight end who’s also pretty good. Aaron Hernandez, like Gronk, has been with the Pats for three seasons and has had 1,956 yards with 18 touchdowns within that span. While his numbers aren’t as great as Gronk’s, Hernandez is a great guy for Brady in the offense.
Speaking of Brady, the quarterback isn’t getting any younger as he’ll turn 36-years-old in August, but is age really an issue for him? He led the Patriots to the AFC Championship game last season where they lost to the Ravens, but it was yet another playoff appearance for the quarterback. Brady enters his 14th season in the NFL and his numbers speak for themself: three Superbowl rings, 10 AFC East titles, 44,806 passing yards, 334 touchdowns, and a 96.9% quarterback rating. Like him or not, Tom Brady is as good as they come. No matter the changes in the offense, Brady is always a constant and adjusts accordingly to ensure he leads a winning team. He’s a leader for the Pats and will continue to be one until he can no longer play the game.
The defense, however, isn’t the best. Their defense against the pass was ranked 29th in the league last season. Defense against the rush, on the other hand, was ranked ninth in the league as was points allowed. The Patriots defense is an area of concern, but their offense is always so good that it doesn’t necessarily matter. Shootouts are common when watching a Patriots game.
Taking a look at the AFC East, the Patriots competition is fairly easy. Their biggest competitor may be the Miami Dolphins, who finished in second place with a record of 7-9, the Pats finished in first with a record of 12-4. The New York Jets are a mess right now, with yet another quarterback controversy and competition heading into camp. The Buffalo Bills are still the Buffalo Bills and aren’t expected to be much of a competitor.
The New England Patriots are a powerhouse in the NFL and are one of the top teams in the league. It’s been that way for quite some time now, and won’t change in 2013. They’re led by one of the best quarterbacks to play the game and they know how to win. They lose players and they recover from those losses and win games. They’ll win the division, yet again, and make the postseason. Will they win it all? Maybe not, but they’ll have a chance.