New England Patriots: Stop With the Super Bowl Talk

While it is totally possible the New England Patriots make the Super Bowl, but it’s highly unlikely. After the Pats beat the Cleveland Browns this week, all you see on ESPN today is how they’re “the most dangerous team in the AFC.” or “No one is going to stop them on the way to the Super Bowl.” Without taking away from a four-game winning streak, the Patriots have an uphill battle on the way to their next championship.

First, you have to look at their wins as a whole. Yes, they deserve all the credits for their recent success. However, if you look at the whole schedule, their wins are impressive, but their quality of wins are not so much. A win is a win in today’s NFL but as hyped up as ESPN wants to make them, they’ve beaten one team with a winning record. Yes, beating the Los Angeles Chargers was impressive as they’re considered an up-and-coming team, but even then they’re one win over .500.

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Then you have to look at their losses. They lost at home against the Miami Dolphins. Again they lost at home against the New Orleans Saints. Yet another home loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Finally at home against the Dallas Cowboys. All four losses came at home with their home crowd, against teams with winning records. Only the Dolphins have a losing record.

So yes, a win is a win in today’s NFL but let’s pump the brakes on the Super Bowl talk. Mac Jones is clearly the future for the New England Patriots but you have to examine the struggles as well as the successes. All credit is given for winning in today’s NFL. However, it’s going to take beating a few good teams to jump on the bandwagon.

So far, they’re not winning at home, which is good because they’re not likely to get a home-field advantage. Then they’re not beating teams with winning records which the playoffs will be loaded with. Against complex defenses, they’re not getting it done. Then they still have to go through teams like the Bills, Titans, Chiefs, and the entire AFC North just to get there.

Okay, putting up 54 points on the Jets is impressive, but they’re still the Jets. Beating the darlings of last year’s playoffs, the Cleveland Browns, is noteworthy but they’re struggling nonetheless. Give them all the credit in the world for being better than expected with a rookie quarterback at the helm, but the Super Bowl is a bit ambitious. More power to them if they do make it, but to expect it is a bit of a stretch.