3 Reasons the Patriots are still Super Bowl contenders without Brady
The New England Patriots should still be viewed as contenders without Tom Brady.
The 2020 NFL season and a new era of New England Patriots football is about to begin in Foxborough with the start of the new year taking place this weekend.
Now with the legendary Tom Brady out of New England after leaving the Patriots to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency this offseason and veteran quarterback Cam Newton set to take over that hole in 2020 and perhaps beyond, many are left wondering just how New England will look in the new season and if it is able to pick up right where it left off when it comes to annual success.
With Patriots head coach Bill Belichick likely on a mission to prove to everyone that he doesn’t need Brady on his team to continue to be successful, the legendary head coach and New England will likely do all they can to try and return to dominance as quickly as possible and avoid a rebuilding mode in 2020 and beyond.
One of the predictions when it comes to the Patriots is that they will ultimately make a return to the playoffs by the end of the year. But given the history of this New England organization and its personnel, it should be viewed as a contender even with going through a transition year.
Leading into the season, the Patriots are coming off of once again claiming an AFC East title a year ago with a record of 12-4 overall, finishing ahead of the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins in the division standings. The Patriots, however, were surprisingly bounced in the opening round of the playoffs while seeing their season end much earlier than they hoped.
In 2020, New England will have its work cut out for it to try and defend its division title and return to the playoffs at the end of the year. With the mix of new faces, the Patriots officially have the toughest schedule in the NFL this season as well.
As New England enters into a new era of the franchise this season and beyond, here are three reasons why the Patriots should be viewed as a contending team once again in 2020 even with Newton set to take over the reins on the offensive side of the ball.