The New England Patriots have had one of the best offenses in the league since Tom Brady took over. They might not always be the flashiest attack in the game, but they get the job done year after year. They have been working with a similar formula for so long. Statistically they rarely lead the pack; however, the wins keep coming. The culture in New England always has the next man ready to shoulder the load. When the run game does not work, they systematically pick defenses apart in the passing game. When the passing game stumbles as it rarely does, the run game leads the attack. When a player goes down or misses time, there is always the next player in line to pick up where they left off.
It may be a little too clear to the rest of the NFL; as long as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are with the Pats, they are going to be dominant. Brady is one of the best ever to play the game and Belichick knows how to get the most out of his players. They have found ways to evolve their game to fit the skill sets of the players around them and built off of their strengths. They have brought the Patriots closer to the top of the NFL in terms of championships and do not see to be slowing down anytime soon.
The New England Patriots bolstered their offense this offseason with receiver Brandin Cooks. Cooks spent his young career playing with future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Drew Brees and after back-to-back 1,000 yard, receiving seasons looks to be the new staple of New England’s powerhouse. When paired with Edelman and Amendola, the trio could be one of the most feared receiving groups in the league. Tom Brady ought to have no trouble further cementing his legacy with the talent pool around him.
The one weak spot in the lineup is running back. The two most likely candidates to run the ball for the Patriots this season is relative newcomers James White and Mike Gillislee. White has spent 3 years in New England and has yet to crack 300 yards total for his career. Gillislee had some success in Buffalo but was deep on the depth chart on the top rushing attack in the NFL. Now he will more than likely have to shoulder the load if White does not pan out. Luckily, for the Patriots, they have never had a short list of no name players step up and make themselves known. If history has proven anything, no matter who lines up behind Brady will succeed. Teams would rather not let Brady make the big plays and force the running backs to step up.
As long as Brady has speed on his side, the New England Patriots will be tough to beat. He might not be the most nimble of quarterbacks, but he has one of the quickest read and release arms in the NFL. The Patriots might not throw the ball deep enough to entice fans excitement. However, you can never count them out of a game with their ability to pick apart defenses and use the sidelines to their advantage. If teams want to beat the Patriots, they are going to need to find a way to keep them between the hash marks and run the clock. That will be no easy feat but giving Tom Brady time is the worst move opponents can make.
Editor’s Notes: This article can also be seen in our upcoming NFL Preview Edition.