The New England Patriots offense hasn’t been its typical elite self this season, and it suffered another blow Thursday.
Josh Gordon announced he was stepping away from the game to focus on his mental health, then later was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating the terms of his reinstatement. Since his Patriots debut in Week 4, Gordon had logged the most receiving yards on the team and added a unique threat to their offense.
But with Gordon’s departure, Tom Brady’s substandard play and Rob Gronkowski’s ineffectiveness, the Patriots find themselves in a precarious spot, precarious enough that Stephen A. Smith thinks they’re done. During Thursday’s edition of “First Take” on ESPN, Smith explained why the Patriots will be unable to reach the Super Bowl.
The cards certainly are stacked against the Patriots, so it’s reasonable to be plenty skeptical. But Brady and the Patriots have a tendency to turn things on once the postseason rolls around, so there’s at least some reason for optimism.
