The Patriots currently are tied for the best record in the NFL, but they aren’t without flaws.
While it might be tough to find any holes within New England’s defense, Tom Brady and Co. have been far from a formidable unit. The Patriots haven’t scored more than 20 points since Week 8, and they’ve only logged 300-plus passing yards in four of 10 games thus far.
Nick Wright has his doubts about the Patriots’ offense, but he doesn’t seem to think shortcomings on that side of the ball will be the be-all, end-all in New England’s pursuit of a seventh Lombardi Trophy.
“You can’t cross them off the list of Super Bowl contenders. They’re 10-1,” Wright said Monday on FS1’s “First Things First.” “But right now, their quarterback and their passing game is the biggest weakness on their team, just like it was for 2015 Denver Broncos. Now, Peyton (Manning) was playing far worse than Brady is playing right now, but it’s the same story, and that’s not disrespectful to Peyton Manning and it’s not disrespectful to Tom Brady. It’s just the only read you can get when you watch this team play.”
"The Patriots can absolutely win the Super Bowl with Brady playing this way. … The Patriots are a passing offense away from being an all-time great team. But right now, their QB and their passing game is the biggest weakness on their team." — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/itiYtDMMqA
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) November 25, 2019
It’s tough to argue with Wright. While Patriots fans might take those remarks as shade at Brady, what else can you point to when it comes to New England’s weakest phase? The offense isn’t dreadful, but the backbone of the Patriots undoubtedly has been their defense and special teams. And as Wright noted, New England probably still can defend its title even with a lackluster offense.
That said, the Patriots have dealt with quite a bit of changeover on the offensive side of the ball, both from injuries and general transactions. But with a group now clearly in place, maybe New England’s offense soon will find an identity and right the ship.
