2014 Bold Predictions: Patriots Will Have A Top Five Offense, And Top Five Defense

Dec 15, 2013; Miami Gardens, FL, USA: New England Patriots wide receiver

(80) runs with the ball againsg the Miami Dolphins in the second quarter at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

1. Danny Amendola Will Lead The Pats In Receiving

Last year was not a good statistical year for Danny Amendola. He caught a mere 54 balls, and only racked up 633 receiving yards. A big reason why he didn’t produce like we all hoped was he was frequently injured throughout the year. He missed four games due to injury, and really wasn’t 100% all year because of a nagging groin injury.

I think that if Amendola can stay healthy this year, he will overtake Julian Edelman as the team’s leading receiver. Reports coming out of minicamp have indicated that Amendola looks quicker than ever, and nearly uncoverable coming out of his breaks. We witnessed these skills on the field in week one versus Buffalo, but he injured his groin that game, and was never the same. Can you imagine what his numbers would look like if he stays healthy all year long? It could potentially be like 16 of that Bills performance.

In terms of pure talent, I think Amendola and Edelman are pretty much equal. Edelman is definitely better after the catch, but in terms of pure speed and quickness in running his routes, Amendola may be better. The only problem is he is very fragile, and Tom Brady doesn’t fully trust him right now. I can remember countless plays last season where I saw Amendola wide open, but Brady didn’t pull the trigger. If they can work past this in 2014, there is no telling how good Amendola can be in this offense.

I am not saying that Amendola will blow Edelman out of the water next year, because that is not going to happen. But if he stays healthy, Brady will realize that much like Edelman, there are few corners in this league that can defend him well. Edelman and Amendola will have very similar numbers, but I think number 80 will just edge out the former college quarterback.