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Are the New England Patriots on the decline? In Part II, we look at another factor that helps answer this question.
Yesterday, we looked at the offense where they have some major concerns in the passing game due to issues at tight end, and a lot of new wide receivers for Tom Brady to get on the same page with.
But the bottom line is this – Brady is still the best quarterback in the AFC East by far, and that makes the Patriots the favorites to win the division, even with the turmoil surrounding the team right now.
True, Miami seemed to really improve their roster this off-season in free agency, but nobody really knows just yet if Ryan Tannehill is an elite quarterback. It’s still a gray area. We will find out a lot about him this year.
So in a quarterback-driven league, the Patriots still have a great one, and that not only makes them the favorite to win the division, but to be one of the best teams in the league.
So the presence of Brady in itself should help them overcome their current issues.
But something else needs to be considered about the 2013 Patriots – it looks like their defense has the potential to be the best unit they have had in quite some time.
Cornerback has been a weakness in recent years for the Patriots, but that doesn’t seem to be the case in 2013.
Aqib Talib is the best cornerback the Patriots have had in some time, and the fact that they got him back on a one-year contract, which is the best way to handle him, was smart. He’s had some issues in the past, so one-year deals are a good way to keep him focused and motivated.
The Patriots stole cornerback Alphonso Dennard in the seventh round last year. He was a second round talent who slipped due to character concerns.
Talib and Dennard will be the starters. Kyle Arrington was forced to start in the past, but now he’s back in the nickel role which is perfect for him.
The Patriots have moved former first round pick Devin McCourty to safety which seems to be a better spot for him. The Patriots added former Arizona Cardinals star safety Adrian Wilson this off-season. He’s perhaps the hardest hitting safety in the league. Also in the mix at safety is super-smart and instinctive Steve Gregory from Staten Island.
The Patriots expect 2012 first round picks Chandler Jones and Donta Hightower to take a big step in Year Two.
Jarod Mayo and Brandon Spikes are a terrific tandem at inside linebacker.
New England added former Oakland Raider standout Tommy Kelly at defensive tackle to combine with Vince Wilfork. It will be very hard to run up the middle against the Pats this year.
I think the Patriots defense is going to take a big step up this year.
The point I’m trying to make the last couple of day is simple – the Patriots situation right now is a mess, but I think they will rise from the ashes and will still be a very good team this year.
July 1, 2013
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