Patriots News: What Are The Biggest Issues Facing The Team?
By Cyrus Geller
Patriots news is slow at this time of the year, but don’t fret, there are still topics to discuss!
Erik Frenz of Bleacher Report discusses the five biggest issues facing the Pats this season. He says Tom Brady‘s pending suspension, an effective running game, uncertainty along the offensive line, a new-look defense and health are the five biggest issues facing New England in 2016.
I agree on two (arguably three) of these issues. Brady’s suspension is obviously a concern, as anytime you are without the greatest quarterback of all-time your team will be significantly worse. However, there is still a chance Brady doesn’t miss any time due to deflate-gate, we just have to wait and see.
The other one I agree on is health. In my opinion, if the Patriots stay relatively healthy, there is no team in the NFL that can stop them. When you go back throughout the years, the last time the Pats stayed healthy and didn’t win the Super Bowl was 2010. And before that it was 2007. Generally speaking, if this team has Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, as well as a relatively healthy roster, they will win the Super Bowl.
I don’t think having an effective running game should be a huge concern, simply because the Patriots have really been working with a mediocre running game since 2007. All they have done since then is advance to seven AFC Championship games and three Super Bowls. This offense is going to be absolutely loaded this year, as Tom Brady has Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Martellus Bennett, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola and Dion Lewis to work with. If they stay healthy, no one will stop these boys, regardless of how effective the ground game is.
As for the offensive line and defense, it all comes back to health in my opinion. There is plenty of talent along the offensive line, and a surplus of talent on defense for New England. If they can stay healthy for the playoffs, it shouldn’t be an issue.
The Pats legitimately go six-deep on the interior of the offensive line, and their two starting tackles are solid in Sebastian Vollmer and Nate Solder. If Vollmer and Solder are healthy come January, the Pats will be okay on that front.
Staying in-house, David Smith explains why the Patriots’ receiving corps is ranked 3rd in the NFL.
Finally, our own Connor Fulton takes a look at Sebastian Vollmer for 2016.