Patriots

How the Patriots stack up in the AFC

The Patriots turned some heads when they beat the Saints on a game winning touchdown pass. They have been battling small injuries all season, including Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola, and Aquib Talib. They also have recently lost both Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo to serious injuries for the whole season. This is clearly a difficult position the Pats are put in, but they find a way to grind out wins, standing at 5-1 for the season. The Patriots gave fans hope and proved that they could be a Super Bowl contender by beating the Saints. The NFL only has two undefeated teams remaining, being the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos, who are both 6-0. The Patriots still have to prove that the Saints game wasn't a fluke and that they can play without the presences of Mayo and Wilfork.

The Patriots have some important games coming up, and how they perform is strongly up to if Rob Gronkowski plays or not. People are both optimistic and doubtful about his return every week, and his return will help the Patriots a lot. Having Gronk and Amendola healthy will let Tom Brady pass more confidently and it will drastically improve the Patriots offense. The Patriots are 5-1, even with not having their top receiver yet to play all season. This really shows how well their organization is run and how Tom Brady can find a way to pull out a win almost every week.

The Patriots have some games they should win coming up, against the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburg Steelers, and Carolina Panthers. The only tough competitor is the Miami Dolphins, who are looking to make a change in the AFC Standings. After that, the Patriots have some tough games against the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, and Cleveland Browns. The Browns have been surprisingly good so far this season, and if they continue, then they can give the Patriots a run for their money. These games will really test their value in the NFL, especially against the Broncos, and will show if they can be a contender, or a pretender. So far, the Pats have shown that they are a contender.