Patriots Ranked 15th in Sports Illustrated's Preseason Power Rankings
The MMQB released their preseason power rankings ahead of Week 1 regular season action in the NFL, and New England Patriots fans won't be happy with their team's standing in the rankings.
New England ended up 15th in the poll, which might not seem bad, but might as well be last place for the Patriots. This is a team that is used to consistently being ranked inside the top 10.
Here is the explanation from The MMQB staff behind New England's location on the power rankings.
"Obviously we are all focused on how Cam Newton replaces Tom Brady, but the number of defensive players who opted out of New England this season could be just as a big a story."
The Patriots are entering uncharted waters. New England is without Tom Brady for the first time in two decades. There will be someone new under center in 2020 (ie Cam Newton).
Besides Brady, the Patriots lost a lot of players due to free agency and opt-outs of the 2020 season. Dont'a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, and Patrick Chung are among some of the key players who won't be suiting up for New England this season, with Van Noy being with the Dolphins now.
The keys to the car that is the Patriots offense are being handed over to Newton. Swapping an MVP caliber quarterback for an MVP caliber quarterback isn't so bad. However, since winning MVP, Newton has dealt with several injuries, leaving fans wondering if he will be the same player in 2020. However, being coached Bill Belichick and his staff should help turn things around for the veteran quarterback.
What might interest Patriots fans the most when looking at The MMQB's rankings is who is ranked right in front of New England. That would be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who now have Tom Brady as their quarterback. The Buccaneers are ranked 14th in the poll.
Call me a scorned lover who is angry at their ex for leaving them, but the notion that Brady will make a seamless transition to Tampa isn't a certainty. There could be some struggles, especially early on. Also Brady will no longer have Belichick and Josh McDaniels concocting the perfect scheme for him.
There is no doubt that Brady will likely have a great season, but that doesn't mean he will propel the Bucs to a Super Bowl. Tampa might have the better QB, but New England has a better overall team. They should be ahead of the Buccaneers.
Landing 15th isn't bad, but expect the Patriots to start climbing up the power rankings after Week 1.
