It’s been a mixed start to the 2018 campaign for the Patriots but recent wins against the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts indicate their season is back on track. Here are five clues that the Pats are still playoff bound and have what it takes to win the Super Bowl again.
Pats Top AFC EAST
The Patriots once again top the AFC East as their head-to-head record with the Dolphins is better. It looks like it is going to be between those two teams this season as to who wins the division as the Bills and Jets already have losing records. As long as the Patriots beat Miami when they face them later in the campaign in Foxborough, they should be the team which progresses directly into the playoffs.
Tom Brady’s Numbers Remain Strong
ESPN Stats & Info via Twitter
Despite being 41 years old now, Tom Brady is showing no signs of slowing down. Against the Colts in their 38-24 win, Brady went for 341 yards with three touchdowns going his way. Brady may no longer have many of the trusted receivers which he has thrown to over the last couple of years but he will help his teammates on the offense step up and that is bad news for opposing teams.
Belichick Will Have a Plan For Play-Offs
At the moment, it looks like the AFC Conference will go through Kansas City as the Chiefs have started the season in hot form. Their young quarterback Patrick Mahomes is lighting up the league, therefore, they are as short as 6/1 in the NFL betting for the Super Bowl. Come the playoffs though, Belichick has been there so often before and he will fancy his chances against a very young team. Experience is so helpful in the post-season and it would be no surprise if the Pats coach already has his plan up his sleeve.
Josh Gordon Looks Like A Perfect Fit
Zack Coz via Twitter
Since arriving in the NFL, Josh Gordon has had so many personal issues which have resulted in us not seeing the best of him on a regular basis. The Patriots opted to trade for the wide receiver from the Browns and that move is looking very smart following his early performances. If Gordon stays out of trouble, he could have the best season of his career with Brady feeding him the ball.
Belichick Has Confidence In Sony Michel
The Patriots have not really had a number one running back for a while now as Belichick has opted for a committee in this department. The emergence of Sony Michel this season may just change that though. Belichick has been happy to give the rookie a large percentage of reps in recent games and the youngster has rewarded his coach with some impressive performances. Michel looks to be ahead of the pack now as the number one running back. With more experience, he could turn out to be a fantastic addition from the 2018 NFL Draft. The Patriots have divisional matchups against the Bills and Jets over the next few weeks and they will be hoping to pick up wins to put them in a strong position going into the second half of the regular season.
Photo Credit: By Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA (Tom Brady) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
