What Does The Super Bowl Loss Mean For The Patriots Next Season?
As Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots fell short of victory against the Eagles in Super Bowl 52, many began to wonder about the future of the New England reign of continuous winning and Super Bowl appearances.
Tom Brady did not let age show in the loss and played tremendously in his now eighth Super Bowl appearance in a career that, to the world, is not yet over. However, a key factor that did come to light in the Super Bowl was the lack of consistency on the defensive side of the ball. With a shocking coaching decision leading to the benching of once starting defensive back, Malcolm Butler, and the inability to stop a high powered offense, the Patriots have to fill some holes defensively in order to put together another great year of football as well as another shot at a Super Bowl Title.
What Does the Super Bowl Loss Mean for the Patriots Next Season? Moving forward, New England will have to reclaim focus on the tasks at hand that lead to the best possible future, and that will include shutting out the noise, getting healthy, and cleaning up the defense.
Shutting Out The Noise
If there is one thing that will push critiques further against New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady, it’s another Super Bowl loss as Brady now goes into his 19th season. At age 41, Brady does not draw in a large crowd betting big on his future, as father time is undefeated. However, it is hard to deny what Brady has been able to do, not only at his current age, but throughout the entirety of his career.
No one compares to number 12 during the free agency era, and he is still, undeniably, the Greatest of All Time. For Tom Brady, it’s back to what is in front of him, the next season. Sure Brady will take some much need R and R, especially taking good care of his body, but the same fiery competitor will be back on his game before long.
The objective for Brady is simple. Shut out the noise, do your job and continue to work as hard you can for as long as you can. A credo that rings true throughout the entire Patriots organization, which will also be starting fresh and keeping to what is ahead.
Tom Brady has spoken about playing into his mid-forties, but at this point, Belichick and the Patriots scouting staff are certainly taking a look at this year’s draft prospects at quarterback. Even with Brady continuing to defy professional football reality as we know it, drafting a young successor as the right fit would be a wise decision for New England.
Staying Healthy
Another obvious obstacle in the New England Patriots’ path to next season’s Super Bowl proved to be too much for the Pats on February 4th, with key starters out on both offense and defense. If the Patriots want another hopeful season, they will need to focus on keeping their players healthy and bringing currently injured stars back to full health. In the last season, the Patriots were missing:
- Julian Edelman: Tom Brady’s favorite target
- Dont’a Hightower: defensive captain
- Marcus Cannon: starting offensive lineman
The absence was clearly visible in this recent Super Bowl loss.
Cleaning Up The Defense
Belichick certainly has a lot of work to do, in regards to preparing for the 2018 season and adjusting a defense that lacked continuity this past season. Luckily, the coach will have multiple options at the roster positions he will need to fill.
The free agency period will soon start and the New Patriots are known for making big splashes in recent years. This offseason will give Belichick the chance to sign one of the better free agent cornerbacks, as well as a potential pass rusher. The Patriots clearly need both, as a result of analysing the loss to the Eagles. Daily Fantasy Sports fans will also be looking to this signing to see if The Patriots will be a strong pick this season. They can head to PlayingLegal.com to see the websites with the best stats.
Look for the Patriots to possibly sign players such as CB Aqib Talib if he is released or CB Bashaud Breeland as a much needed boost to the secondary. Additionally, as far as establishing a defensive edge, Belichick could sign a player in free agency like Adrian Clayborn or Trent Murphy.
So What Does This Mean For The Patriots?
For the Patriots, the recent Super Bowl loss does hurt, and some much needed time to rest will help heal competitive wounds. However, the New England Patriots are well known to not only bounce back consecutively season after season, and the same can be foreseen for the 2018 season. As for the Patriots, getting back to the Super Bowl is not as far out of reach as some would think, so long as Tom Brady continues to find his rhythm, key stars stay healthy, and the defense comes together to play as a team.