The Patriots are in a good place heading into the playoffs

Last season when Jimmy Garoppolo was traded, Bill Belichick took so much heat for it. Now, as we fast forward a year later, the Patriots are going to the playoffs and the San Francisco 49ER’S are watching from home. The notion that Belichick and Brady were at odds with each other stopped after Garoppolo was injured earlier this season. Garoppolo’s season-ending injury ended the rift between Belichick and Brady. It also ended the talk of any off the field drama surrounding the team.

Patriots could host the AFC Championship Game

A year ago the Patriots were going into the playoffs with so much drama off the field. It seemed like more people were talking about relationships than actual football. Fast forward a year later and there are football problems with this team going into the playoffs, which is better than off-field drama. There’s less talent on this team then there was a year ago, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make a run. The AFC is wide open. Things could happen and they may host the AFC Championship Game again.

There is talk like last year of Josh McDaniels talking to different teams. But really he’s not going anywhere as long as Brady is the quarterback. He’s keeping his options open, but at the end of the day he’s staying in New England. Now, if Garoppolo had a decent season this year who knows if there would be tension like last year in New England. That is now old news until Garoppolo takes a snap in 2019.

With less drama around the team the focus is now on football and what they can do to be better. Edelman, Dorsett, Hogan, and Patterson will all have to step up. Brady will have to spread the ball around, and Michel and White will make the running game work. Gronkowski can be used as a blocker, as he’s been off all season. Get ready for another great playoff run by the Patriots without the off-field drama.

The Patriots are ready for the playoffs

The Patriots have secured a bye once again in the playoffs.  They beat a no-show Jets team Sunday and really took care of business to secure the two seed.  What people saw Sunday was an offense and passing game that has been missing all season.  We finally saw Hogan and Dorsett get their turn in the offense over someone that didn’t want to be there.  It’s about time, Hogan and Dorsett have been silent all season.  Gronkowski looked off but he has all season, and it’s questionable if he’ll retire when the season ends.

We can say the Jets aren’t a good team and the Patriots didn’t have to try, but really we saw an offense that has been missing.  They don’t need a deep threat or someone that doesn’t want to be there to distract from the players that want the ball.  Dorsett and Hogan came to life yesterday, and hopefully it carries into the playoffs.

They needed the bye because the Patriots have been missing a step.  Brady hasn’t really been himself.  There definitely were some flaws with this team, having a hard time winning on the road.  However, the teams they lost to didn’t make the playoffs so that’s a plus.

They go into this week to rest up for the Divisional Round a week from Sunday.  They’ll get their treatment and be ready to go for whoever they play.  Maybe Gronkowski will be his normal self in two weeks and make something happen.  But look out for Brady to spread the ball around like yesterday, because there’s no distracting player on the team anymore.  The Patriots are the best at handling distractions, and will handle the absence of a distracting player just fine come playoff time in two weeks.

Tom Brady has the chance to make history again

The Patriots have had a roller coaster type of season.  They have lost five games, and all on the road.  That is very rare for this team.  This is now the weakest receiving group since Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney.  That was the 2006 season, when the Patriots lost in the AFC Championship game to the Colts.  Some are even comparing this team to the 2009 team, when everyone was all over the place and not in sync.  After last season, and the loss of Danny Amendola and Brandin Cooks, they were missing a deep threat.  They traded for Patterson, and still have Hogan, Dorsett, and Edelman coming back from injury.  Now Tom Brady can lead the way with this group of talent and possibly win the Super Bowl. He needs to remember to focus on his upper back stretches for after the game. We don’t want any injuries this season.

Receivers will have to step up

It’s time now for other guys to step up in big moments.  Chris Hogan, Julian Edelman, and Gronkowski need to have the best games of their careers the last two weeks of the season.  Unfortunately, the teams they play lack stiff competition, but it would be good practice for the playoffs.  Brady is the best at taking mediocre talent, and transforming it into top play-makers in a big spot.  Brady has had a rough year this season, but has the chance to pull something off that he’s never done before.  Win a Super Bowl with less talent on offense than the previous years’.

He can tell the doubters he had that skipping OTA’s wasn’t a big deal.  Taking care of himself is more important, and he has the answers to the test already.  At 41 years old he can be the GOAT he is and lead this team to another Super Bowl.  It’s not going to be an easy task, but it could be done with the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.

The Patriots have trouble on the road

Jan 1, 2017; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) is pressured by Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Earl Mitchell (90) during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots not only have issues in Miami, they have issues with winning on the road.  The Patriots losses this season have all come on the road: Jacksonville, Detroit, Tennesse, and Miami.  It’s not like these are good teams either.  They are beatable teams and the Patriots should be able to beat them.  The problem is these teams treat games against the Patriots like it’s the Super Bowl.  They prepare so well for the matchup with the Pats, then are terrible the following week.  It’s like teams are out to get them.  The defense doesn’t play well on the road either.  They need to or it’ll be a short playoff run.

The defense has been inconsistent all season

The defense at home has 15 sacks, while away they have nine. They also allowed 14 touchdowns at home and 12 on the road.  Not much of a difference there.  Finally, the defense has six interceptions at home, and eight on the road.  That proves the defense really hasn’t been playing well all season,  regardless if it’s home or away.  But to hold the Vikings to ten points one week, then let the Dolphins score almost every time they got the ball in the first half the next week, doesn’t make sense.

The real test will be Pittsburgh this week.  If they lose this week it could be a factor for the number two seed.  The number one seed, of course, is out of the picture after the debacle in Miami.  They need to win on the road if they want to go to the Super Bowl again.  The way they’ve been playing all season, and the mental toughness questions surrounding the defense, might make that a tough task.  Doesn’t mean it’s not possible, but they would have a better shot if they were home.

The Patriots will not be getting the number one seed in the AFC

Jan 1, 2017; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) is pressured by Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Earl Mitchell (90) during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots are 16-38 all-time in Miami and can’t seem to ever get a win.  This loss for the Patriots is one of the top losses on the season.  With the loss today you can say goodbye to the number one seed in the AFC. Kansas City beat Baltimore today, and holds a two-game lead in the conference.  The Patriots seem to struggle a lot defensively, especially on the road this season.  Last week they just held the Vikings to ten points, but in today’s game every time New England scored, Miami would score quickly. Also, the missed field goals need to stop.  Losing on a play like that to end a game is something you never see.  I haven’t seen that since playing Madden.  No excuse for why you can’t make the tackle.

The Patriots need to work on mental toughness as a team

Now they just made it harder for themselves to get a bye in the AFC Conferene.  They will play the Steelers next week in a big matchup, then finish with the Jets and Bills. Kansas City isn’t losing the rest of the season so the hope that the Patriots would host the Chiefs in the playoffs is gone.  Gronkowski, Edelman, and Gordon looked good.  And finally some life out of Patterson. But that defense is scary, and if people think they can beat Kansas City at Arrowhead it’s not going to happen.

You rarely see a Belichick team lose a game that could risk getting them the number one seed. Gronkowski talked about his mental toughness and the team’s after the game.  Their mental toughness has been in question all season for some reason.  Gronkowski seemed to finally be back on track today but it wasn’t enough.  They just can’t win in Miami for whatever reason.  The defense ranks 9th in points, 22nd in yards, 24th in passing yards, and 13th in rushing yards.

The Number one seed

December is a great time of year in the NFL.  The Patriots could possibly get the number one seed in the NFL even though their star players aren’t playing at 100 percent.  The Kansas City Chiefs have a bit of a distraction with the release of running back Kareem Hunt.  The Chargers came back in the fourth quarter to beat the Steelers and the Patriots can waltz to the number one seed with no problems.  It’s amazing how a team like the Patriots can have an average season and still get the number one seed in the Conference.

The Patriots could still get the number one seed

The Patriots play in Miami Sunday, then it’s the Steelers, Jets, and Bills.  They don’t play well in Miami but the Dolphins will find a way to lose the game.  Then the Steelers, they seem to lose games for themselves lately too.  Pittsburgh completely choked last Sunday night against the Chargers and history will repeat when the Pats play them in two weeks.  The Jets and Bills should be layups and easy wins.  It’s a no-brainer the Patriots have the easiest path to the number one seed.

The Chiefs have a difficult schedule for the next two weeks.  They play the Ravens on Sunday which should be a win for them but then have a quick turnaround and play the following Thursday night against the Chargers.  Those Sunday then Thursday games are tough for obvious reasons, it’s hard playing two games in a week with little or no practice.  Then it gets easier with the Chiefs playing the Seahawks and Raiders to close the season.

The Chargers last four games are the Bengals this Sunday, then Thursday against the Chiefs, and the last two are against the Ravens and the Broncos.  The game of the season for the Chargers and the Chiefs is next Thursday.  Both teams will be tired but it’s a win for the Patriots.  Teams, in general, find ways to lose games to give the Patriots the perfect opportunity for the number one seed.  The Chiefs could lose one more game and the Patriots could get the number one seed which is huge for the potential AFC Championship game be in New England.