How do the New England Patriots stack up in the AFC? It feels like it’s no longer in question.
Mike Vrabel’s team is undoubtedly in the mix.
“We’ve been talking about this for a long time now,” Phil Perry said on a new episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast. “But if you’re a Patriots fan, which of these teams do you look at and say, ‘You know what? Patriots would have a really hard time beating those guys in the postseason.’ I don’t think that team exists.
“There are a number of teams that could beat the Patriots, for sure. But I feel as though the Patriots are probably playing the best of all these teams right now. And I think if you’re a Patriots fan, again, you should feel really good about their chances come the postseason because, as we know, they’re going to the postseason.”
Tom E. Curran and Perry discussed how the Patriots stack up against their AFC competition in a segment called “superpowers and Achilles’ heels.” Here is how the pair dissected each division leader:
Denver Broncos (9-2, AFC West leader)
Superpowers: Defense, head coach Sean Payton
Achilles’ heel: Offensive potency
Denver’s defense allows the third-fewest points and third-fewest yards per game with the least amount of yards per pass attempt and rush attempt. Not bad! The Broncos also are compiling sacks on 13.2 percent of attempts, Curran noted, and rank first in third-down percentage (28.9 percent) and red zone percentage (35.7 percent).
“This is the team, to me, that would scare me the most, if I’m any fan of any team in the AFC,” Perry said. “And it does start with their defense, and (defensive coordinator) Vance Joseph, and what they’re doing on that side of the ball.”
New England Patriots (9-2, AFC East leader)
Superpowers: Drake Maye, run defense
Achilles’ heels: Run game, red-zone defense
New England’s biggest advantage over the rest of the conference? It probably won’t come as much of a surprise to those who have been watched the last 11 games,
“Drake Maye is the reason they’re here. Drake Maye will be the reason they go as far as they go,” Perry said.
On the other hand, the Patriots do have some shortcomings. Their run game, which ranks 27th in the league in yards per attempt, would be even worse if it weren’t for Maye’s scrambling ability. And New England’s red-zone defense ranks second-to-last in the NFL after allowing touchdowns on 72 percent of red-zone opportunities.
“It’s almost unfathomable, the rates that they’re at,” Perry said. “If that continues, that 70-plus percent, that will be one of the worst red-zone percentages for any defense in recent NFL history, going back to the early 2000s.”
Indianapolis Colts (8-2, AFC South leader)
Superpowers: Run game, return game
Achilles’ heel: Daniel Jones
Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has helped Indy score more points than any team in the league. Taylor and the run game average the most yards per attempt, which includes a mind-boggling 4.7 yards after contact per attempt for Taylor, as Perry pointed out.
Indianapolis also leads the league in kickoff return yards (29 yards per return).
“When you look at that team, their run game has obviously been outstanding, and their return game is stupid good,” Curran said. “When they Colts get moving, they’re moving thanks to Jonathan Taylor.”
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4, AFC North leader)
Superpower: Aaron Rodgers’ experience
Achilles’ heels: Rodgers’ age, pass defense
The AFC North figures to be a fun one down the stretch with Lamar Jackson’s Ravens and Joe Burrow’s Bengals not out of it yet. Reason being is that the Steelers ran away despite the impactful injuries elsewhere in the division.
“They are horrendous against the pass,” said Curran, noting Pittsburgh allows 262 yards per game through the air.
Perry added: “The Rodgers thing is the thing, to me. … Can they survive if something were to happen to Rodgers? Because we know his age and injury history.”
Perry and Curran went on to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of other teams in the playoff mix including the Bills (7-3), Chargers (7-4), Jaguars (6-4), Texans (5-5), Chiefs (5-5) and Ravens (5-5). Buffalo, Los Angeles and Jacksonville would be in the playoffs if the season ended after Week 11. But with Patrick Mahomes lurking, there’s a lot up in the air for the Patriots.
For insight into those playoff hopefuls, listen to the Patriots Talk Podcast:
