Is It Time For Patriots Fans to Hit the Panic Button?

Is it time for Patriots fans to hit the panic button, or do you think this team can turn things around? To answer that question, let's take a second and evaluate just where things stand.

By the time the sun sets on Sunday, the Patriots will have reached the quarter-mark of their 2018 season. When we saw this match-up on the calendar, most Patriots fans would have guessed that this game against the Dolphins would have been a "gimme," and that the biggest storyline would be the return of Danny Amendola to Foxboro.

Fact: there's only one undefeated team playing in Foxboro this Sunday, and it ain't the guys running out of the tunnel by the lighthouse. Fact: at this moment, the Cleveland Browns have a better record than the reigning AFC Champions, the New England Patriots. Let that sink in.

So, should Patriots fans be worried? Is it time to hit the panic button? I would submit that it is. Let's face it, standards are high here in New England. Making the playoffs is not an accomplishment, it is simply expected when your quarterback is Tommy Terrific and your head coach is the Emperor. The season will not be considered a success if this team gets knocked out in the divisional round or the AFC title game.

It just feels like the magic dust is wearing out. Teams like the Lions aren't supposed to beat the Patriots. They're just supposed to submit to the dominance. The camaraderie of the team has devolved into whispers about how the three-headed monster of Brady, Belichick and Kraft are starting to turn on each other.

Things just feel different in New England. You can sense the end of the glorious ride is approaching. As much as your heart wants to believe it, your eyes tell you that this is not a Super Bowl team. Could Josh Gordon help this team? Sure he could. Julian Edelman returns to the team next week after the Dolphins game. Those two paired with Gronk will certainly keep defensive coordinators up at night, but I still don't think this team is winning the Super Bowl.

It's just not their year.

I hope I'm wrong.