Patriots favored to break runners-up curse
An article on ESPN.com explains that being a runner-up in the Super Bowl in a previous year shows very marginal hope that the Patriots will end up in New Orleans this upcoming season with a victory. According to ESPN Stats and Information, it has been 39 years since a team was able to come back from losing in the championship one year to win it the following season.
But this Patriots team has improved and keeps moving forward. With the Brady-Belichick connection, there is always a chance. First place in the AFC East division can be achieved by the Pats as they have so much depth in their offense. Their defense ranked 31st in the league last year and they were still able to make it to the championship, where this year’s defense will be better.
Brady’s receivers last season proved that opposing teams will need to limit the Pats’ offense in order to have a chance to defeat them. In the 2011 season, New England scored 30 or more points in 12 regular season games.
With Gronkowski, Hernandez, Welker, and Woodhead all being options for Brady, it will be tough for this team to lose.
History does repeat itself, and the Pats are still seen as one of the favorite teams in the AFC. If there is any team that can defy the odds, it’s the New England Patriots.
