5 Reasons To Be Optimistic For Patriots

To say that fans of the New England Patriots have been spoiled over the last decade is quite the understatement. The Patriots have won the Super Bowl three times, captured four AFC championships, played for the AFC championship five times, and have not had a losing season since Bill Belichick's first year back in 2000. Patriots fans have also had the pleasure of watching some of the premiere players in the NFL during this era of greatness, especially the greatest quarterback of his generation, Tom Brady. The unquestioned "Team of the Decade" opens up a new decade when training camp begins tomorrow in search of the fourth Lombardi Trophy of the Belichick-Brady years. While there is more publicity being given to the Saints, Jets, Colts, Packers, and Vikings, there should be no one surprised when Brady is holding court with the media as confetti rains down on the Patriots at Cowboys Stadium. Is the above the talk of a crazy Pats supporter? Maybe, but here are five reasons to love the chances of the Patriots in the 2010 season. 1. The Patriots Have Tom Brady Football fans will debate the merits of Brady and Peyton Manning for eternity but the fact is that Brady has a better track record of winning and as he enters his ninth season as the primary signal caller in Foxboro, the three Super Bowls rings he owns shine brighter than Peyton's lone piece of jewelry. Last year was not a great one for #12. Coming off the lost year in 2008 and still showing the rust from reconstructive knee surgery, Brady was not at his best in 2009. The competitive nature of Brady has forced him to train like a man possessed in preparation for 2010. Since taking the reigns in 2001, Brady has never gone more than two seasons without playing in the last game of the season. Considering that the Pats last appearance was in Super Bowl XLII, the odds are pretty good that Brady will be taking snaps in Super Bowl XLV. 2. The Defense is Young, Deep, and Talented Prior to the offensive fireworks the Patriots displayed in 2007, Bill Belichick was known as a defensive guru. Over the last four drafts, he has re-built his defense through the draft, adding several talented weapons that give the Pats one of the most interesting units in the league. Since the 2007 draft, Belichick has added 11 players through the draft (and one undrafted free agent, Gary Guyton) that should make positive contributions to the 2010 defense. I for one am excited to watch Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes develop into a fearsome duo at inside linebacker while the talented secondary boasts four players - Brandon Meriweather, Darius Butler, Patrick Chung, and Devin McCourty - taken in either the first or second round that should make life difficult for opposing passing attacks. 3. Randy Moss is Playing for a Ring, his Legacy, and ... oh wait ... a New Contract Moss has put up big numbers during his three years as a Patriot. The 250 receptions, 3765 yards, and 47 touchdowns speak for themselves. However, as his career starts to wind down, Moss is in search of a Super Bowl ring that would cement his place as one of the elite receivers to ever play the game. If he meets his Patriot averages of 83 catches, 1255 yards, and 15 touchdowns the team will be in a great position to compete for the Super Bowl. That kind of production will also help the 33-year-old Moss sign one more lucrative contract. Having Moss motivated to win a title, secure his place in history, and make several million dollars is one that I want playing for my team. 4. The Jets are Ripe to Implode The hot topic of the offseason has been all of the flashy moves made by the Patriots rival in New Jersey. LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Cromartie, Santonio Holmes, and Jason Taylor were brought on to help Rex Ryan try and overthrow the Patriots in the AFC East and win the first Super Bowl for the Jets since the days when Suzy Kolber was dreaming of wanting to kiss Joe Namath. The problem is that the Jets already had talented roster and bringing in mercenaries for big dollars is going to upset the balance inside what was already a volatile lockerroom. The best defensive player in the NFL, cornerback Darrelle Revis, wants a lofty pay raise. I doubt that he will be happy to see Cromartie taking money that could have been put into his banck account. One of the top young running backs in football, Shonn Greene, will not be too pleased to see the aging Tomlinson steal any of his carries. It is going to be great entertainment to watch the Jets self-destruct while the Pats march towards another Super Bowl. 5. Last I Checked, Bill Belichick is Still Calling the Shots There have been some doubts about Belichick's genius following the painful loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII but in his ten years running the show for the Patriots, Belichick is 112-48 in the regular season, 14-4 in the playoffs, 3-1 in the Super Bowl, and has found a way to produce winning seasons for the last nine years. In an age of so-called parity in the NFL, Belichick has made the Patriots into a dynasty to rival the Packers of the 1960s, Steelers of the 1970s, 49ers of the 1980s, and Cowboys of the 1990s. With a veteran offense capable of putting up big numbers, a defense that has the speed and toughness to strike fear in their opponents, and a league that is ignoring his team for the first time since the summer of 2001, Belichick is in position to add a fourth Super Bowl title to his resume as a head coach.