Patriots Make the 2021 AFC Championship Game
It gets lost in all of the hoopla of the Brady vs. Belichick storyline that permeated over the entire season, but the Patriots finished 12-4, and were dangerously close to finishing 15-1 with slightly improved offensive play.
Circumstances failed Brady time after time last season. His receivers couldn’t get open. But, there were certainly times where he showed his age. He lacked that zip and power on throws, and didn’t appear to want to take as many hits at age 42. Not that this is abnormal at this age. But if Newton shows us anything similar to his 2018 form, that makes am the difference in those one-score games, something New England experienced in three of their four losses.
Newton can’t make N’Keal Harry or Damiere Byrd step up, but with another year of experience, there’s reason to believe things will be better. Factor in the idea that the Patriots had the No. 23-ranked injury luck. Everything is contingent on health, but it’s hard to be anything but optimistic in July.
On the other side of Newton, we see the No. 1 defense. And do you remember what happened the last time Newton had a top-10 defense? His team went to the Super Bowl. Cam Newton has only had that honor twice in his NFL career.
The Kansas City Chiefs are the hall monitors of the AFC; anything and everything runs through them.It’s hard to believe in Baltimore without actually seeing it. A healthy Newton and a healthy Patriot team are contenders.
