After an agonizing and overplayed offseason, Tom Brady looks more motivated than ever. Heading into the season, questions were circulating about whether or not Brady’s age would lead to deteriorating play. Despite concerns, Brady looks as sharp as ever.
Statistically, Brady is playing out of his mind. If Brady’s success in the first half of the season can carry over, he will end the season with absurd numbers. Currently, Brady has a completion percentage of just under 70%, while throwing 20 touchdowns with only one interception. Even with this type of accuracy and consistency, Brady’s been able to accumulate over 2,400 yards throwing. If these trends continue he will end the season with roughly 5,000 yards, 42 touchdowns, and only two interceptions.
Flash back to 2007 and Brady still wasn’t even performing this well. In this historic season, Brady was able to total up 50 touchdowns and only eight interceptions with the help of Randy Moss and a prime Wes Welker. During that season, Brady was one catch away from seizing the Lombardi Trophy with a perfect record. Now, in 2015, a 38-year-old Brady with less talent surrounding him, has found a way to bulldoze the opposition in front of him. The future Hall of Famer is making players like Danny Amendola look like top level football players.
What Brady is doing this year, and throughout his entire career, is absolutely remarkable. It is the stuff of legend. 25 years from now, his football stories will be told to our wide-eyed children, intently listening in disbelief. The Patriots Dynasty will be revered like Montana’s 49ers, Sanders’ Cowboys, or Shula’s Dolphins.
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But for now, there is only one question left for the rest of the year. How good can the Patriots really be?
The answer… undefeated Super Bowl Champions. For the remaining nine games, only two teams are actually legitimate threats. Those teams include the undefeated Denver Broncos and division rivals, the New York Jets. Offensively, the Patriots look absolutely unstoppable, posting 35 points per game on average. Edelman and Gronkowski have been quality and consistent options in the air, while a healthy LaFell will provide additional options moving forward. For the ground game, a shifty Lewis and a powerful Blount complement each other well with their distinctly different running styles. Lewis’ versatility is similar to a Vereen or Woodhead, whereas Blount is perfectly equipped for red zone situations as a power-back.
Defensively, the Patriots have been much better than anticipated. The defensive line and linebacker core have remained pretty much intact from last season. However, the secondary has lost a lot of depth. Despite the loss in personnel, young players like Butler, Ryan, and Wilson have stepped up in filling the shoes of the previous starters. During Thursday Night Football, the young Patriots Secondary made Tannehill look like the opposite of what the Dolphins drafted him to be, a Franchise Quarterback.
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In order to become Super Bowl Champions, The Patriots need to continue improving defensively week in and week out. While they have performed exceedingly well thus far, they haven’t had any real challenges yet. Week 12 against the Broncos will be the big test for the Patriots. If the secondary can hold up against a top tier quarterback like Peyton Manning, it will prove that they have what it takes to win the Lombardi Trophy.