DJK’s Unpopular Opinion: Patriots NOT Going 16-0

Back-to-back weeks blowing out their opponents has led many New England Patriots fans to start the “We’re going 16-0, bro” talk, or worse – the “We’re going 19-0, bro” talk.

Is the defense amazing? Yes. Is the offense amazing? Yes. I would add special teams but wow is Stephen Gostkowski struggling. It’s funny because it’s more than the likely the same people chanting "16-0" that chanted the team was toast after starting 1-2 last year.

Let’s keep a few things in perspective.

First, let’s face it, the teams they played have been horrific.

Yes, I expected the Pittsburgh Steelers to improve over the course of the year, but I had no idea Ben Roethlisberger was basically going to get the football version of Tommy John the next week. They also played Miami, and as bad as the Patriots had been there previously, most fans knew this would be different. The Dolphins are obviously tanking so they can try to get the No. 1 overall draft pick on purpose. Let’s wait until they play a Dallas, Baltimore, or Kansas City firstt.

Second, the Patriots have a small history of playing down an opponent.

It was the 2010 season, and the Patriots had only lost one game earlier that year to the Jets, and they went to play the Cleveland Browns in what should’ve been a blowout. It ended up being a blowout, but the Patriots were not on the right side of it. Browns running back Peyton Hillis had such a big game, he became the cover athlete for the next year of Madden. The Patriots finished 14-2 in the regular season and got eliminated in their first playoff game at home against the Jets.

Ironically, after all that, I see the Patriots finishing 15-1, and eventually being able to laugh at the fact, they went the “good” 18-1 this time as opposed to when they lost in Super Bowl 42. More funny than all, I see them having no problems with Chiefs, Ravens, or Cowboys, I see them following that similar 2010 route and losing to a team they have no business losing to, it could be the Bengals, Jets, the severely injured Eagles, or even worst of all the Giants with new rookie Daniel Jones.

I would say I would find that hilarious if the Giants beat the Patriots in the regular season to cost them another perfect season. It could happen.