Here’s What ESPN Predicts Will Be ‘The Story’ Of Patriots’ 2019 Season

The New England Patriots haven’t just been good for the better part of two decades. They’ve also been wildly entertaining. The 2019 season should be no different.

But what will be the story to follow in Foxboro?

ESPN.com published a piece Monday predicting the story of the season for each NFL team, and Mike Reiss opted to focus on New England’s quest for another title.

His response: “Can the Patriots become the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since they pulled the trick in 2004?”

Here’s more from Reiss:

Tom Brady turns 42 in August, Bill Belichick shows no signs of slowing down at 67, and the Patriots are still viewed as a perennial contender. But there’s no Gronk, there’s significant turnover on the coaching staff, and history isn’t on the team’s side, as it’s proved to be especially difficult to win back-to-back titles. That mix adds a layer of intrigue as the Brady-Belichick pairing enters its 20th season together.

For as tight-lipped as things can be on Bill Belichick’s watch, there typically is no shortage of drama surrounding the Patriots, both on and off the field. The organization just keeps winning, though, and it’s hard to imagine anyone in the AFC East knocking off the Patriots in 2019, even with quarterback Tom Brady turning 42 in August.

The question then is whether New England will elevate its performance in the playoffs yet again. The Patriots, winners of six Super Bowl titles since the 2001 campaign (and three in the past five years), typically step up when the stakes are raised, but winning back-to-back championships is a tall task.