The Patriots earned a statement win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday by a 45-7 verdict, and a number of national media members took it as the latest example of why New England is legitimate.
NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky was among them Monday, and during an episode of "Get Up!" on ESPN, he explained how the Week 10 win could be a sign of things to come for the Patriots.
"If and when Mac Jones plays this (well) on third down, this team can beat anybody in the NFL," Orlovsky said, as transcribed by Boston.com. "It's not hyperbolic to say that they can go to the Super Bowl. That's a reality."
Orlovsky added how Sunday's loss by the Browns was a failure by the entire team, including Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield. But he coupled that by highlighting the play of the Patriots signal-caller, the schemes of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and New England's entire offensive group.
"The thing that the Patriots do such a good job of is they don't put him in positions to fail," Orlovsky said of Jones. "They don’t ever ask him to become somebody or something that he's not."
Orlovsky had been high on the Patriots even before they were above .500 and rattling off four straight wins.
Fellow ESPN analyst Ryan Clark previously shared the same belief that New England should be looked at as a Super Bowl contender. And they're far from alone as Rex Ryan shared this season is Bill Belichick's greatest coaching job yet, Stephen A. Smith called New England the most dangerous in the AFC and Colin Cowherd acknowledged the Patriots are back.
