Super Bowl Predictions: Patriots Will Win Super Bowl XLV, and Here's Why
Wildcard Weekend is upon us and the best teams in the league happen to be enjoying a week off while their potential opponents line up for the right to visit them in the following week.
This is nothing new for the New England Patriots.
The league's best team has been absolutely dominant this season and has not lost a game since the first weekend in November.
In that eight game win streak, the Patriots defeated FIVE different playoff teams, including three AFC foes, the Jets, Colts, and Steelers.
It is no surprise who the favorite to win the Super Bowl is this season and here is why.
10. Teamwork
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No team is more unselfish in the NFL than the New England Patriots.
Winning, first and foremost, is all that matters for Belichick and his team.
The Patriots, who led the league in scoring by almost 80 points, scored 65 touchdowns this season.
11 different offensive players found the endzone with 19 rushing touchdowns and 37 receiving touchdowns.
As for the defensive and special teams units, New England returned nine balls for scores.
Scoring touchdowns is what the New England Patriots do, as to who scores it, is not of much concern to them.
9. The Turnover Battle
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Tom Brady threw four interceptions on 492 pass attempts.
Brian Hoyer, his backup, threw one.
The Patriots lost five fumbles on the season giving them a grand total of 10 offensive turnovers.
As for their defense, they forced 25 interceptions and recovered 13 fumbles, for a total of 38 total turnovers.
The Patriots, and their +28 turnover margin, were far and away the best in the league.
The second best team in turnover differential was the Pittsburgh Steelers at +17.
When teams and coaches talk about "winning the turnover battle" as a key to the game, the Patriots take that to another level.
8. Special Teams
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They say there are three phases in a football game and unfortunately special teams, the third phase, is often overlooked.
In the playoffs, special teams is more important than ever, and no team knows that better than the Patriots (and maybe the New York Giants of course).
New England returned three kicks for touchdowns this season - two from Brandon Tate and one from Julian Edelman.
As for the coverage teams, they do a great job of staying in their lanes and preventing big plays to help control field position.
Punter Zoltan Mesko averages 43.2 yards per punt and has downed 19 punts inside the 20 to just five touchbacks.
Kicker Stephen Gostkowski is on the IR, but veteran Shayne Graham has stepped in and kicked a perfect 12 of 12 field goals.
While many teams have weaknesses on special teams, the Patriots are fortunate enough to count it as a strength.
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7. Playmakers At Every Position
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No matter where you look on the Patriot roster, players can score touchdowns.
As shown earlier, the Patriots do no care who scores touchdowns, but just that points are being scored.
At quarterback is Tom Brady.
Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis averages 4.4 yards per carry while Danny Woodhead averages 5.6 yards per carry and 11.1 yards per reception.
Wide receiver Wes Welker is the only receiver/tight end to average less than 10 yards per catch and only because he works the underneath routes so perfectly for his team.
The return ability of both Brandon Tate and Julian Edelman make for a tough time on opposing special teams forces.
As for the defense that forced 38 turnovers, led by rookie cornerback Devin McCourty, any number of Patriot defenders can score or prevent scores on any given play.
There is a reason every one of these players plays for Belichick and being a complete football player is No. 1 on the list.
6. A Running Game
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In years past the Patriots lack of a running game could be their undoing when teams get after them.
This season though, Belichick and the Patriots have found a way to effectively run the football.
Averaging 4.3 yards per carry as a team, the Patriots rush for an average of 123.3 yards on 28 carries per game.
The Patriots 19 rushing touchdowns were second in the league during the regular season.
The new found balance of a successful running game make the Patriots even more difficult to stop.
5. Young, Improving Defense
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The average age of a New England Patriot defensive starter is roughly 24 years old.
What was once considered a hindering weakness to the New England Patriots has become one of the league's best units.
The young, turnover-driven unit holds opposing offenses to only 19.6 points per game.
While they do give up 366 yards per game, much of that is because teams are forced to throw the ball early and often as their opposition is continually playing from behind.
The Patriot defense holds opposing running games to 108 yards per game and has only given up six runs of 20+ yards.
As discussed earlier, this unit has forced 38 turnovers this season and can make a play on the ball as good, if not better, than any other team in the league.
4. Experience
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Not many teams can boast two different Super Bowl MVPs on one team, the Patriots can.
The acquisition of Deion Branch in the face of Randy Moss' departure is none more important than at this stage of the season.
Majority of the Patriot roster around Brady is young, but his experience along with players like Branch, tackle Matt Light, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, and of course coach Belichick himself make up for it.
The Patriots have just enough veteran leadership at the most important positions.
3. Home-Field Advantage
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No team can handle weather like the New England Patriots and up in Foxborough, Massachusetts, you never know what you're going to get.
New England is a perfect 8-0 at home this season and scored over 30 points or more in six of those eight wins.
Traveling up to Foxborough has never been more difficult
Whether clear weather, ice, snow, or sleet; the Patriots will win at home.
2. Bill Belichick
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The Patriots coach is 14-4 in the postseason during his tenure in New England.
This season, with the youth and early season distractions, could very well be his best season on the sidelines thus far.
The mastermind gamesman has done an absolutely remarkable job of readying his players for everything that has come their way and the postseason may not slow him down either.
As long as Belichick is roaming the sideline for New England, they have to be considered a threat to any team.
1. Tom Brady
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While Brady's numbers are not his 2007 season - 50 touchdowns and eight interceptions - he may be playing better than he ever has.
34 touchdowns and four interceptions were tops in the league for both categories and Brady has masterfully orchestrated his offense to a 14-2 record averaging 32.4 points per game.
Brady's play this season easily warrants his selection as the league's MVP and there seems to be no stopping him as of late.
He has not thrown an interception since Week Six of the season and looks as unstoppable as any player has in recent memory.
Brady and Belichick. Home-field at Foxborough. A complete team that believes. The New England Patriots have every necessary piece needed to win the Super Bowl, and then some.
Wes O'Donnell covers the NFL, NCAA, and NFL Draft on a year-round basis. He also contributes to NFL Draft Bible. He can be followed on Twitter.
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