Patriots: ESPN’s NFL power rankings absolutely disrespect New England

Is ESPN kidding throwing the Patriots to the curb like this?

Despite our warnings against doing so, it turns out there are folks out there who are grossly underestimating the New England Patriots heading into the new season. The roster turnover narrative is certainly something to keep an eye on, but we would argue that it’s being overblown.

After all, we are talking about the Patriots. You know, the team that always finds replacements and ends up in the playoffs every year after it looks like they suffered too many losses in one offseason.

ESPN seems to have forgotten about New England’s proven track record as it pertains to overcoming adversity, because it ranked them No. 15, behind the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East, in its latest power rankings.

Is ESPN trying to poke the bear? We seriously hope that’s the goal of these rankings because they are markedly disrespectful to the six-time champions. So many pundits are clinging to the notion that this is the year the Patriots fall off, and we couldn’t disagree more. We honestly wouldn’t be surprised if printouts of this power ranking are hung all across Gillette Stadium already.

Sure, the defense lost a number of starters via free agency and opt outs, but the group still returning a number of key contributors, including promising young players that were buried on the depth chart in 2019.

And what about the offense? One could argue that the Patriots upgraded at quarterback by signing Cam Newton to replace Tom Brady, who did little to make the most out of what he was working with last season. Newton’s mobility will be a welcomed and potentially difference-making addition.

There’s also the revamped offensive line to consider, as it will be welcoming back the likes of David Andrews and Isaiah Wynn, both of whom missed a combined 24 games last season and play the most important positions at center and left tackle.

Did ESPN just forget that the Patriots are led by arguably the greatest coach in NFL history? The legend that is Bill Belichick always figures out a way to manage around unfortunate circumstances as if they weren’t even there to begin with.

We’re not asking for New England to be ranked inside the top five. That would be delusional. However, this team is simply too consistent and coached too well for it not to crack the top 10.

Mark our words: the Patriots will serve ESPN a fresh dish of humble pie when all is said and done.