Will the Patriots still have a shot at the super bowl?

Aside from the Super Bowl and the Olympics, I don't watch sports. My best friend on the other hand is football fan and an even bigger New England Patriots fan.

I thought I'd try my hand again at delving into the sport and he sent me this article about Patriots wide receiver Eric Decker leaving the team and Dez Bryant as a potential back-fill option. It sounded like a great idea so here we are! 

Today we're going to cover: 

  • The overall outlook for the team including whether they have a shot at the super bowl
  • What's going on in coach Bill Bellichick's life that may be impacting his performance
  • Tom Brady's love of the game and the toll it takes on his family
  • Whether the Patriots will consider Dez Bryant to back-fill as wide receiver, and 
  • Whether Dez Bryant would take the offer if it were extended to him

And in case you were wondering, I don't just watch the Super Bowl for the commercials. I also watch it for another reason to scarf down food and booze like any true American ;) 

Patriots

The Patriots team is under a lot of stress right now. Tom Brady is stressed, there is conflict regarding Bill Bellichick and some players are considering leaving the team, maybe the NFL all together. Those players seem a bit fed up with the industry and may rather enjoy some time with their family and in peace. 

The team may see more turnover if those players choose to make their exit, but I believe this could add some fresh and young energy and strong players to the team. Once the new team has settled, there will be some struggles but I see the Patriots still having a shot at the super bowl. 

Bill Bellichick

Bill is doing his best but he does have some health issues, likely involving his respiration. There is also a strain on his romantic relationship. She is very supportive but needs a little more attention from him than he is giving. 

These things, though not major issues, do take their toll. And that toll can affect his decision making and job performance. 

Tom Brady is someone he can really rely on and is his strongest relationship at this point. 

Tom Brady

Tom is a little stressed but doing well and keeping things positive and upbeat. While it can be overwhelming to think of the number of games he has to get through for yet another year, it is still exciting and never gets quite old. 

Football gives him something to do. Although, he really should be more focused on his family at this point. His wife is very loving and supportive, but the effects of being neglected get to everyone at some point. His youngest children aren't yet aware of his absence, but his older ones have noticed a distance with him even if they aren't ready to accept that it's there. 

Dez Bryant

There is still room for the situation to unfold, but at present I don't see Dez joining the Patriots to fill the open wide receiver position. He will be considered but I see him taking another offer elsewhere, maybe even making a career shift of some sort. His personality likely wouldn't be the best fit for the Patriots team even if he did join.