IS THIS IT FOR It’s easy to see end of Pats’ dynasty and N.E. going from first to worst in AFC East
They have crushed souls, sapped hope and made life miserable for everyone outside the gates of the Evil Empire, ruthless rulers bent on making your job harder while they executed theirs to near perfection.
The Patriots dominated the AFC East for two decades, foiling the Jets, Dolphins and Bills at nearly every turn, but all that is over now. Tom Brady has led a mass exodus from Foxborough this week, prompting this question: Could the Patriots go from first to worst in the division that they dominated for so long? Consider the competition. The Bills, who made the playoffs after a 10-win season, have bolstered their team with a solid foundation that just added dynamic wide receiver Stefon Diggs this week.
The Dolphins, who exceed expectations in what was supposed to be a Tankathon 2019 campaign, have transformed their roster in the span of a few days by rolling out a steady stream of cash in free agency. Armed with a treasure chest of draft picks, Brian Flores’ team could make a massive jump to relevance this season. The Jets don’t appear to be in that class, but Sam Darnold provides hope that they won’t remain in the margins forever. The Patriots, on the other hand, lost a litany of key pieces in the first week of free agency. Brady’s defection to Tampa is the headliner, but there were other important defections like linebacker Kyle Van Noy and center Ted Karras. They lost eight contributors from a year ago. Truth be told, starting guard Joe Thuney would have left too if not for an eleventh-hour decision to place the franchise tag on him.
So, could the Patriots really be circling the AFC East drain after winning 17 of the last 19 division crowns?
The obvious concern is quarterback. Who will replace Brady? There’s some optimism surrounding second-year signal caller Jarrett Stidham, but he’s largely an unknown. His most memorable moment as a rookie was getting pulled in the fourth quarter after throwing a pick-six to Jamal Adams.
The Patriots have 12 picks in the upcoming draft, so perhaps they package some capital to move up from No. 23 to land a coveted quarterback. Regardless, it won’t be easy for the Patriots to remain atop the AFC East.
New England has had only two losing seasons in the last 25 seasons, but it would be hardly shocking if they finished with fewer than eight wins in 2020.
Patriot Nation, however, has one ace up their collective sleeves. For all the reasons why the Patriots could fall into the division cellar, there is one giant X-factor: Bill Belichick.
Can the Hoodie weave magic with a less-than-stellar roster? Will he be able to overcome not having the greatest quarterback in NFL history on his side anymore? Maybe.
But it’s not unfathomable to see the Patriots looking up at the Bills, Dolphins and Jets this season.