Despite the way that the 2015 season turned out, the New England Patriots may have been the best team in the league last season. Before crucial injuries to skill position players and members of the offensive line, the Patriots were 10-0, and beating teams by an average of 15 points. Tom Brady was throwing for three touchdowns and over 330 yards a game, Julian Edelman was on pace for over 100 catches, 1,200 yards, and 12 touchdowns. And despite being injured, Rob Gronkowski had already caught 49 passes for 806 yards, and nine touchdowns. The Patriots offense was unstoppable, and with a questionable schedule ahead, many believed that they would finish the season undefeated for the second time.
Predicting the 2016 AFC Champions
Of course, it didn’t happen that way. Injuries derailed New England’s season, and despite an arguably MVP-worthy performance from Tom Brady, the Patriots lost four of their last six, and limped into the playoffs. They managed to dispatch the red hot Kansas City Chiefs, but against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship, they couldn’t get anything going on offense until it was too late, and they lost. Brady turned the ball over twice, and was asked to do too much as he not only threw the ball 56 times, but he led the team in rushing with only 13 yards. Denver would go on to win an ugly Super Bowl against the Panthers, while Tom Brady and the Patriots could only watch from home.
This must have been hard for New England, who despite playing in seven of the last ten AFC Championships, have only one Super Bowl victory to show for it. Bill Belichick and company didn’t wait long to start making moves. They immediately fired offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo, who many blamed for not only failing to give Brady the time he needed, but also in failing to create an effective run game. While New England remained silent at the beginning of free agency, they made several blockbuster moves over the course of last week. Not only did they trade defensive end Chandler Jones for offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper and a second round pick, but they also signed NFL legacy defensive end Chris Long and slot receiver Chris Hogan. Despite a few injury-plagued seasons, Long is still a respected pass rusher in this league, and only 30 years old. However, the real fireworks started when the Patriots traded a mere fourth round pick to Chicago for dynamic tight end Martellus Bennett. Bennett, paired with Rob Gronkowski, create an incredible tight end duo for Brady to work with.
Armed with two second and third round picks, the Patriots are without a glaring need on either side of the ball. They’re a team that’s only going to get better before the 2016 season kicks off. The Patriots can strengthen the offensive line, grab a fresh running back, or even find the long sought after deep threat at wide receiver. Regardless, the offense will see the returns of Brady, Edelman, and Gronkowski, the same trio that tortured defenses for the better half of last season. The additions of Bennett, Chris Hogan, and future draftees will make the Patriots among the NFL’s elite offenses yet again. There are rumors everywhere about whether or not the NFL will give the Patriots their vacated first round draft pick back. If Commissioner Roger Goodell decides to do so, New England will have five picks in the first three rounds.
Beyond that, the Patriots find themselves with yet another underwhelming schedule. It’s true that the Patriots will face the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, and Pittsburgh Steelers, all playoff teams from last year. But outside of that, their opponents were a combined 68-92 last year and only of them had a winning record. The Patriots host the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans, and there’s no doubt that the Denver Broncos will not be the team that they were in 2015.
Championships aren’t won in March, but if they were, the New England Patriots would have put a pretty serious bid on the Lombardi Trophy. They were two points away from the Super Bowl last season, and while Denver has taken a step back, the Patriots have taken a leap forward. There isn’t a team in the AFC South that has shown they’re ready to be contenders While Kansas City and Oakland look to be much improved in 2016, it’s unlikely that either are ready to travel to Foxborough and take on Tom Brady.
The Pittsburgh Steelers started 2015 on the wrong foot, and never recovered. When healthy, the trio of quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, runningback, Le’Veon Bell, and wide receiver, Antonio Brown give them the most explosive offense in pro football. Roethlisberger and the Steelers will likely be New England’s biggest competition for the Lamar Hunt Trophy. That said, history definitely favors the Patriots as they have defeated the Steelers in seven of their last ten matchups.
