The New England Patriots are taking a lot of heat.
Not only have they lost as many as five games for the first time since the 2009 season, but they’ve looked especially bad the last two weeks, dropping back-to-back contests to the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers. New England now needs help to secure a first-round bye.
All told, it’s fair to wonder whether Tom Brady and Co. are capable of advancing to their fourth Super Bowl in five years. The Patriots haven’t been themselves for most of the season, and the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans all sit ahead of New England in the AFC standings.
This still is the Patriots we’re talking about, though. They’ve long been the NFL’s model of excellence. So counting them out comes with a great deal of risk. Just ask Jason Whitlock, who issued a warning Monday on FS1’s “Speak for Yourself” to those writing off the Patriots after their Week 15 loss.
You see, Whitlock knows better than to doubt Brady and the Pats. He already did so earlier this year, saying 2018 would be New England’s “season of destruction,” only to then turn around and apologize after it appeared the Patriots had figured things out.
Basically, when it comes to the Patriots, it’s probably best to just wait and see. Because while they’ve fallen on hard times, history suggests they’ll still be a tough out come playoff time.
