The New England Patriots aren’t the best team in the NFL right now, if you believe ESPN.
ESPN’s Mike Sando ranked the 4-0 Patriots second among the league’s six unbeaten teams, falling below only to the 5-0 Green Bay Packers. And if anything, the article shows just how close these two teams are.
Sando essentially gave the Packers the edge for their defense, which is fair. However, it really is a toss-up.
“(The Packers) are only getting stronger,” an evaluator from an NFC North rival told ESPN. “They pick up James Jones off the scrap heap, and he looks great. They’re using him on conversions, he’s tight-roping along the sidelines. And then (general manager) Ted Thompson does almost nothing in free agency, but there is their second-round pick (Quinten Rollins) with a pick-six against St. Louis. It’s just impressive. I think they are the best, but they are neck-and-neck with New England.”
New England’s defense isn’t as good as the Pack’s, but otherwise they look eerily similar to the 2007 Patriots, who went undefeated in the regular season. Sando also pointed out the Pats traditionally only get better as the season goes on, as they’re 35-5 in the second half since 2010. The Packers have the next best second-half record in that span, and they’re 28-11-1.
“These guys know how to go for the jugular,” a coach with AFC East experience said. “They do have an edge beyond Tom Brady. It is called (head coach) Bill Belichick and (offensive coordinator) Josh McDaniels, and then (defensive coordinator) Matt Patricia is not minced meat. They have the X-factor of coaching administration.”
So while it might be hard to pick between the Patriots and the Packers, it certainly would make for a great Super Bowl 50 matchup.
Thumbnail photo via Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports Images
