It's not a stretch to say that fans are lower on the Patriots than they've been at any point in the past quarter century.
In fact, New England currently faces its longest odds of winning the Super Bowl since Bill Belichick took over as head coach in 2000, according to Caesars Sportsbook.
It's easy to understand why. The Patriots, who've made some solid additions this offseason, once again have watched their top rivals make arguably better improvements. And that likely will continue, assuming the New York Jets eventually complete their expected acquisition of star quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
But Matthew Judon isn't panicking. During a Monday morning appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" show, New England's stud edge rusher reminded everyone that championships aren't won on paper.
"It doesn't matter. You gotta go out there and play, and that's the thing you have to do," Judon said. "When nobody's talking about you and you don't have high expectations, you have nothing to lose. ... We lost (Devin) McCourty, but we have our defense coming back. Our offense, we signed a lot of guys up front that nobody's talking about to steady up the line. So, regardless of who we have and who's talking about us, and what type of nuances we have ... it doesn't matter. We gotta go out there and play.
"So, once you get all those pieces, you gotta work with those pieces. And we've seen plenty of teams get constructed, and you look at the paper and you're like, 'They got these guys, they got them, they got them, obviously Super Bowl wins.' But it doesn't happen every year."
However, Judon did acknowledge that New York should be a formidable opponent with Rodgers under center.
"I do believe the Jets with (adding Rodgers), if they are able to make this move, they get better," Judon said. "They instantly get better. ... They're going to look great on paper.
"(But) they gotta play it out."
Time will tell whether the Patriots truly are as irrelevant and middling as many claim them to be. But it's important to remember that the offseason isn't close to over, with New England still able to add players via free agency, the trade market and the 2023 NFL Draft.
One thing that would change the conversation in a hurry: a trade for a star wide receiver.
