Four Storylines for the 2009 Patriots Season

Despite the season-ending injury to Tom Brady in the first game of the season, the Pats had a surprisingly successful 2008 campaign. Very few teams could survive the loss of their franchise, never mind post an 11-5 record.

The team enters the 2009 NFL season with heightened expectations: they are, after all, a year removed from a 16-0 season. With that in mind, let's examine the four story lines that will determine if this year will be a successful one.

1. Tom Brady's knee

Perhaps no joint in recent memory has been as heavily scrutinized as Brady's injured left knee, with good reason: it will likely either make or break the season.

When it was revealed that the surgically-repaired knee had become infected, many media personalities debated if Brady would ever be able to play again. Instead, Brady has since defied expectations, and it now appears he'll be able to start the season.

How the Patriots handle his return will show their degree of confidence in Brady's recovery. If they return to the pass-happy, shotgun set they've used for the past two years, then they likely have complete faith in the knee.

If not, the team can fall back on a talented stable of running backs, but such a switch in tactics will make scoring difficult, and winning, consequently, less likely.

2. Secondary concern

The team's defense was not impressive overall last year, and the secondary was a big part of it. Football Outsiders ranked last year's team 26th in its defensive efficiency ratings against the pass.

Both of last year's starting cornerbacks (Deltha O'Neal, Ellis Hobbs) are gone, and the team has replenished the position via free agency (Shawn Springs, Leigh Bodden) and the draft (Patrick Chung, Darius Butler).

With second-year men Jonathan Wilhite and Terrence Wheatley, this defensive backfield will sport an entirely different look from last year's iteration.

Whether the makeover will lead to an improvement has yet to be seen.

3. What O-Line will we see?

I've believed the team's offensive line has needed an infusion of new talent for some time now.

The quality of the line play seemed to deteriorate toward the end of the 2007 season, culminating in a Super Bowl in which the Giants defensive line ran roughshod over the O-line.

We did see an increase in sacks last season, but much of that was due to Matt Cassel's inexperience at quarterback as opposed to the line itself.

The line is aging, though. Guard Logan Mankins is the only starter at this time who is under 30. Draftee Sebastian Vollmer is an interesting pickup, but he's seen more as a project than an immediate contributor.

When you add all the above to Brady's knee concerns, it's clear the offensive line will be a recurring theme throughout the year.

4. Will Laurence Maroney prove his worth?

Maroney, a former first-round pick, has been somewhat of a disappointment over his career. He's shown flashes of explosiveness, but hasn't stayed healthy enough to become a consistent contributor.

Now he faces serious competition: the team signed Fred Taylor over the off-season, and may be looking to split carries between Taylor and Sammy Morris. Should this happen, there would be precious few opportunities for Maroney to prove himself.

Maroney has potential, but must run with more decisiveness, or it's likely the Patriots will look to go another direction.