What Nick Wright Believes Is Patriots’ ‘No. 1 Goal’ For Regular Season

The New England Patriots usually are a lock to win the AFC East. The 2019 season is no different in that regard.

But the Patriots’ path to the playoffs could look a bit different this year, as New England’s defense — rather than Tom Brady and the offense — looks like it’ll carry the load, especially in light of the team’s ugly 16-10 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at New Era Field.

Nick Wright explained Tuesday on FOX Sports 1’s “First Things First” that New England should have one goal for the regular season: Keep Brady healthy. Because while the Patriots figure to lean heavily on their defense, as well as head coach Bill Belichick, they’ll obviously need their 42-year-old quarterback — the greatest signal-caller in NFL history — ready to perform once the playoffs roll around and the competition is heightened.

“The only way this Patriots season goes terribly awry is if Tom Brady gets hurt,” Wright said. “Their No. 1 goal — more so even than getting the No. 1 overall seed — is have Tom Brady make it to January healthy.

“… To me, we can’t tilt every conversation to where (it’s) ‘what more can the Pats do for Brady?’ when what more would you want than the best defense in the conference — maybe in the entire league — (and) the best coach of all time. And so right now what you have is a team that has allowed one defensive score all year. That’s the best thing you can do for a quarterback, more so than adding Antonio Brown or Randy Moss in ’07 or great weapons: Have a defense that’s gonna hold the opposition to low double-(digit) to in the teens (in scoring), to where you don’t have to do that much offensively. Because this year, statistically, Tom Brady’s been a slightly above-average quarterback, and that’s been more than enough because of the defensive pieces and because of the brilliant coaching they have on that team.

“The Patriots’ No. 1 goal, more than the overall No. 1 seed, is have Tom Brady make it to January, healthy. … This year, statistically, Brady’s been a slightly above-average QB, and that’s been more than enough because of the defense and the brilliant coaching.”

New England’s defense didn’t surrender a touchdown until Week 4. The Patriots outscored the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets by a combined score of 106-17, with the opposition’s only scores coming via a defensive touchdown, a special teams TD and a field goal. It’s safe to say the unit has been elite through the first quarter of the season, which marks a continuation from the dominant effort the Patriots’ defense put forth in New England’s Super Bowl LIII victory over the Los Angeles Rams back in February.

Can the Patriots ride their defense to a seventh title? Perhaps. There’s no reason to believe a significant regression is forthcoming. But they’ll definitely need the offense to pull its weight, namely in crunchtime against legitimate contenders, and Brady obviously is the key to that happening.