New England Patriots
Offense
It’s no coincidence that the loss of Rob Gronkowski in 2013 resulted in a down year for the New England offense. Tom Brady was relying on an oft-injured Danny Amendola and youngsters Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson, while learning to cope with the losses of Wes Welker and Gronk.
This year, Amendola should be better acquainted with the playbook, Thompkins and Dobson are more experienced and Gronk returns as the key playmaker. With Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen, the Pats offense looks much like it did when they were winning Super Bowls.
Defense
The Pats swapped Aqib Talib for a healthy Darrelle Revis, then added former Seahawks corner Brandon Browner. The return of Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo cannot be understated, as they will solidify the defense up the middle.
The loss of veterans set the stage for players like Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins to grow up quick. Now New England has a strong mix of young and experienced talent, which could propel the unit to the one of the best in the AFC.
Outlook
Yet again, the Patriots should be the favorites in the AFC East, and if all goes according to plan they should see the Broncos in late January with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
The major “if” is whether Gronk, Revis, Amendola, Wilfork and the other veteran role players can stay healthy for the course of the season. As we saw with Gronk and Wilfork, one major injury can result in a major setback.
