The New England Patriots' streak of playoff appearances was snapped after the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era came to a close.
However, with the Patriots selecting former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Mac Jones as the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, New England could be on the upward trajectory, starting as soon as the upcoming season.
NFL analyst Louis Riddick still has one worry about the Patriots, specifically the offense, in the years to come.
"Philosophically, I admire how Belichick and the Patriots have built the team inside out: strong down the middle and set to defend and attack between the numbers," Riddick wrote for ESPN. com. "That being said, the explosive play component outside the numbers on the offensive side of the ball is concerning. Can receiver Nelson Agholor duplicate or exceed what was a career season in 2020 in terms of yards per catch? Will Jones be the same deep-ball thrower he was for Alabama?"
With new faces being added to the Patriots' roster, will this team exceed expectations offensively in 2021? Those answers aren't terribly far away, as the start of training camp is right around the corner.
