PatsPropaganda

They really need them both to be better, Jones especially. I don’t think enough pundits are pointing out how much pressure there is on Jones to build off the potential he flashed in early 2012. If he takes a step back it could really set the defenses growth back. He needs to be an impact three-down defensive end, and especially show that he’s a force who can get after the quarterback on any down if he’s not accounted for.

As for Hightower I think he’s going to make a big jump. He’s so strong, poised and a great tackler. As his instincts settle in at the NFL level he could really make an impact at outside linebacker. The question is how good can he be in coverage? He split nickel snaps with Spikes last year. Can he overtake him now? And how will Dane Fletcher factor into that equation.

Regardless I think Hightower is an ideal linebacker for this system, and should have a big role this year.

Top 10 Defense for sure. And by Top 10, I’m talking DVOA, Football Outsiders’ efficiency rankings. I think there is something to be said for the amount of yards given up, but it doesn’t make sense to make that the king of defense rankings.

So last year the Pats were 15th in DVOA last year, after being 30th in 2011. That’s a significant improvement, and with the continuity and additions of Adrian Wilson and Tommy Kelly, I don’t see why they couldn’t elevate five more spots.

Offensively they haven’t been below 7th in DVOA since 2003 (14th) and 2001 (11th). Even with Matt Cassel in 2008 they were 7th.

The O-line and Brady are too good drop in the bottom half of the NFL regardless of who the new wide receivers are. Everyone loves to bring up the wide receivers of 2006, well the offense was 4th in the NFL that season.

Well I’m not one to predict Super Bowl championships, but I think there’s a lot of truth to your thoughts. It really is about getting hot right in the playoffs. Not even in November and December. January and February.

There’s no magical formula for putting together 3-4 games where you get all the breaks and make all the clutch plays. That’s what makes it so hard to predict, and whether you’re the first seed or the sixth seed, it doesn’t really matter.

I think the biggest hump to get over in winning the Super Bowl for the Patriots will be their defense. They need to take a step forward this year, and with all the high draft picks they have who are now entering their prime, it should be expected of them. 

This core group on defense has had a few years together. They know the system. They’ve played on huge stages, in championship games. They have to start consistently controlling games. Dictating. 

For too long they’ve been a group that no lead is safe with, especially in the fourth quarter and especially against the pass. There are no more excuses for them. They have a solid mix of all the necessary ingredients, and have shown flashes of being great, but they have been far too infrequent and woefully inconsistent.

If the defense elevates it will be an enormous help to the offense, who will be looking for a new identity this season. But as we all know, you don’t need the record-setting offenses of 2007, 2010 and 2012 to win the Super Bowl. 

You need consistent solid play from your defense, and clutch play from the offense in January and February. Put those things together and I think the Patriots have as good a shot at another Lombardi as any team.

As always I’m excited, not scared. Of course everyone loves reliability, and the Pats had that with Welker/Gronk/Hernandez going into the last two seasons. So now there’s a lot of unknowns with the passing offense, but personally I find it kind of invigorating. I just think the offense, while very good, had gotten a little stale by the end of last year. It was always feast or famine, and when it was a famine in the second half of the AFC Championship, it seemed clear they needed to evolve again.

Ultimately I think the offense will be fine, but everyone needs to prepare themselves for when they sputter a bit early in the season. It’s a half-step back to take two-steps forward kind of a deal.

Teams knew how to play the Patriots offense with Welker. Didn’t mean they could stop it, but for those teams who had the personnel and got some breaks (or caught the Pats on an off day), they could make Brady and company look pedestrian.

So now there’s a ton of unknowns for us as fans, but there’s also a ton of unknowns for opposing defenses now as well. It should be interesting, and if the gap in the AFC East has closed a bit because of it, so be it. But there is no better coached/prepared team in the NFL than NE. They will play to the strengths of all their new offensive pieces whatever they might end up being, and once they start to find their stride, and get a boost from Gronk’s return, we will see something entirely new and fun.

That’s what has me excited, but it might take some speed bumps to get there.

Only that he’s been back in Foxboro, working with trainers on rehab/stretching. I still think it’s overly optimistic to think he’ll be back before week six. And really, why rush it and risk having him get hurt again?

Ballard is the immediate replacement, and will likely be the primary “Y” tight end, which is the traditional tight end position. Hoomanawanui was the fill-in last year and Ballard is an upgrade on him in the blocking department. I’d expect Fells to get a bigger role with the loss of Hernandez, but the rookies Zack Sudfeld and Brandon Ford being intriguing players as well. 

I think they’ll be okay to weather the storm until Gronk gets back, either against the Saints or Jets.