The Pats are not done yet.
Is this a lower grade version of team's past? I would say yes.
But not because Brady is old and done. That's just silly talk. Watch the man play. His throws are as accurate as ever (that finish last week was an aberration, not the norm. Did you the see the passes he made to get them right down the field? He's lost nothing. His arm strength is as good as ever. His ability to remain focused downfield while stepping up and around in the pocket is still the best in the game. His understanding of game situations is still the best in the game. His clock management is still the best in the game. At 41 he is a freak. But if you asked me which QB I would want for my team heading into these Playoffs I'd still say Brady hands down even though these Playoffs will showcase veteran Drew Brees, and some of the exciting, talented, young studs.
It's the team around him that has issues.
His weapons are tired. Gronk, the best TE who ever played the game, can no longer move the way he did. His body has broken down. Edelman, maybe the best slot receiver the game has ever seen, is also in decline. His body is not as agile and he has uncharacteristically dropped passes this year. Michel seems to be wearing down some in his first NFL season. Now Gordon, who is as talented as any receiver in the game, is gone, consumed once again by his demons. The O line is OK but they take way too many drive muffling penalties.
The defense is unspectacular. Their worst defect is that they do not tackle well. The tough guys who were always present and tone setting on Patriots teams past just aren't there. They have none of the "name" playmakers of former Patriot teams.
Penalties, something past Patriot versions largely avoided, curse this team. As much as I hate to use this adjective when referring to any team Patriot, they are undisciplined.
The punter is solid, as is the kicker.
Special teams are OK. Cordarelle Patterson is capable of breaking a kickoff. And Edelman can still get more than average out of a punt return.
Are they a B version of Patriot teams past? I think that is fair to say. But I see a lot of flawed teams in their way to the top. They are not a good road team, and have not been a good road Playoff team in the past. We'll see how the seedings wind up.
Clearly, at this juncture, they are not favorites to win this Super Bowl. But like somebody said above there will not be one team who will be happy to be paired with the Patriots. They could go out in the first round but it would surprise no one who knows anything if they again were in the Big Game with a real chance to win it.
It isn't about any one game with this team. It's been about the ride. And the ride has been long and spectacular. No sane Patriot fan expects it to last forever. But as long as Brady is behind center and Bellichick is on the sidelines, we Patriot fans have a chance to be celebrating on SB Sunday. That holds true in this flawed year.