Where Will The Patriots Stand In The Brutal AFC East?
The AFC East is looking like the most competitive division in the NFL. How will New England Patriots fare? Let's take a look at the state of the team.
Missed A Golden Opportunity
The Patriots had a golden opportunity to find a wide receiver in Deandre Hopkins. however, they were not able to sign him to a deal as Hopkins later signed with the Tennessee Titans. Getting a wide receiver was very important for the Patriots as they had not been able to provide Mac Jones with a star receiver throughout his time with New England.
Getting a wide receiver was also very important for New England because they have the worst wide receiver core in the entire division.
Lack Of Star Talent
The AFC has become extremely competitive. With quarterbacks such as Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Aaron Rodgers, Mac Jones is not nearly as talented as the other stars in the AFC. Looking at the division, Mac Jones is the worst quarterback in the AFC East. Having a star at quarterback is extremely important to compete for a division.
The Patriots had an opportunity to get a star receiver but they were not able to execute. The AFC East is loaded with wide receivers such as Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Stefon Diggs, and Garrett Wilson. Right away New England has the worst quarterback and the worst receiver in the division.
Defense Is Huge For The Patriots
The defense will make or break the Patriot season in 2023. The Patriots have a very good core of young players on defense such as Kyle Dugger, Josh Uche, Marcus Jones, and Jack Jones, coached by an all-time great Bill Belichick. The Patriots defense will determine how many games New England wins.
In an extremely dynamic conference having an elite defense is vital. With a limited offense, New England's defense is the most important factor in 2023.
Final Thoughts
Considering the Patriots have the worst offense in the whole division, they likely are looking at last place or third place. Their defense will keep them in a lot of games and potentially win them, but the offense is too deprived of star talent to be a contender in the AFC. The Patriots are likely going to be around a nine-win team.
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