The Patriots have entered the majority of seasons over the past two decades as a virtual lock to claim the AFC East title.
That won’t be the case in the upcoming campaign, however.
Quite a bit of uncertainty surrounds New England following a free agency period littered with significant departures, highlighted, of course, by Tom Brady. But elsewhere around the division, all three teams seemingly grew stronger this offseason whether it be via trades, free-agent signings or the draft.
But just how in jeopardy are the Patriots of not extending their division championship streak to 12? In a recent column for NFL.com, league analyst Gil Brant pegged New England as the fourth-most vulnerable division champ from a season ago.
“Some people might have the Patriots atop this list, but I — obviously — am not one of them,” Brandt wrote. “New England is facing a slew of questions in 2020, including how the team will perform in the post-Tom Brady era and whether the Bills, Dolphins or Jets (who have all improved) will finally mount a serious challenge in the AFC East. But one simply cannot count out a Bill Belichick-coached outfit. The Pats might not dominate or look as flashy offensively as they did in the peak of Brady’s time under center, but they are returning most of 2019’s top-ranked defense, led by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, and they’ll have a legitimate shot at extending their NFL-record streak of division titles to 12 this season.”
Colin Cowherd likely would view the Patriots as the team least likely to repeat as division champion. In fact, the FOX Sports 1 talking ahead expects New England to finish last in the AFC East in the upcoming season.
