New England Patriots: AFC East

2009-10 Record: 10-6 (1st); vs. AFC East: 4-2; vs. AFC: 7-5

2010-11 Strength of Schedule: 6th Hardest Schedule - .531% (136-120)

Big Games: Week 2 @ New York Jets, Week 6 vs. Baltimore Ravens, Week 7 @ San Diego Chargers, Week 11 vs. Indianapolis Colts, Week 13 vs. New York Jets, Week 15 vs. Green Bay Packers

Key Additions: WR - Torry Holt, TE - Alge Crumpler, DT - Damione Lewis, LB - Marques Murrell, DL - Gerard Warren

Key Losses: Chris Baker - TE - Seattle, Jarvis Green - DE - Denver, Chris Hanson - P - Free agent, Junior Seau - LB - Retired, Shawn Springs - CB - Free agent, Adalius Thomas - LB - Free agent, Benjamin Watson - TE - Cleveland

Draft Picks: 1st Round - CB - Devin McCourty; 2nd Round - TE - Rob Gronkowski, DE - Jeramine Cunningham, ILB - Brandon Spikes; 3rd Round - WR - Taylor Price; 4th Round - TE - Aaron Hernandez; 5th Round - P - Zoltan Mesko; 6th Round - OL - Ted Larsen; 7th Round - OL - Thomas Welch, DE - Brandon Deaderick, DT - Kade Weston, QB - Zac Robinson

2009 Team Leaders:

Passing - Tom Brady: 371-for-565, 4398 yards, 28 TDs

Rushing - Laurence Maroney: 194 atts, 757 yards, 9 TDs

Receiving - Wes Welker: 123 rec, 1348 yards, 4 TDs

Scouting via NFL Scouts:

“Their strength is in the secondary. The other strength is down the middle with Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo and rookie Brandon Spikes now. Their down-the-middle, interior rush defense, and play in coverage, through guys they’ve drafted and signed, those are the strengths. … They didn’t get the replacement for Richard Seymour; they still have a journeyman there in Mike Wright. They signed Damione Lewis, but it might not be a natural fit, being at end, since he’s been in a 4-3 his whole career. That’s one area they didn’t get better. … Tom Brady just didn’t look as comfortable in the pocket last season. The knee injury had something to do with it, but some quarterbacks never get that feeling back. And without Wes Welker this year, the Patriots need a running game to help him. … Even though you hear the notion they have a need at running back, Laurence Maroney’s a good player and Fred Taylor can be that veteran complementary guy. Give them another year there.”

Thoughts:

Coach Bill Belichick’s tenure with the Patriots has been marked by his almost always having the right answer. But, this season, there just seems to be too many question marks, from who will be doing what on the coaching staff to who will catch the ball to who will rush the passer. The rival Jets and Dolphins made major moves via free agency, trades and the draft to improve, but the Patriots just didn’t improve at the same rate. When it’s all said and done, they could find themselves in third place in the AFC East but I see them as the 5 seed in this years playoffs.

Prediction: 10-6 (AFC Wildcard - 5th Seed)

Cash Scott for Citadel Digital © 2010