The New England Patriots: The Most Overrated Team In The NFL

In 2007, the offense was spectacular. In 2008, the offense was almost as spectacular as the year before.  That is leading many people to say that New England is the team to beat this coming season.  The problem is that a lot has changed since 2007 with the Patriots.

First, lets look at the offense.  Tom Brady is coming back off of an injury that many athletes can not make a complete recovery from.  The offensive line is beginning to get old, leading to sacks.  Tom Brady's knee can not take sacks.  Their No. 3 receiver, Jabar Gaffney, is gone. 

Gaffney was replaced with a 37-year-old, injury-plagued Joey Galloway. The running backs are all old and inconsistent, so you really can't rely on them to show up on game day. The only bright spots in that offense will be Moss and Welker.

The defense is even older than the offense.  Vince Wilfork is upset with his contract, and Ty Warren is recovering from knee surgery that will sideline him well into training camp.  Richard Seymore is just old. 

The linebacking corps is like a football nursery home, with Jerod Mayo being the only playmaker there.  Trading Vrabel was not that smart.  The cornerbacks are...er...what are their names again? 

Leigh Bodden couldn't stop a mule from scoring a touchdown last season, what can he do this season? Shawn Springs is pretty old, old enough that the Redskins released him.  Without Rodney Harrison, the safeties will struggle with Brandon Meriweather and James Sanders.

New England has talent, but the talent that they have is getting old and slow.  Cornerback will be a very bad position this season for the team, along with the aging linebackers. 

The only way this team will make the playoffs this season is if Brady completely recovers from his injury.  It could be a long season up in Foxborough, MA.