FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 08: Head Coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on December 08, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Life will be very different for the Patriots without Tom Brady. Here are five bold predictions for how New England’s season will go in 2020.
Bill Belichick will face arguably the biggest challenge of his career in 2020. The whole world will scrutinize his every move as he tries to keep the Patriots on track after the departure of Tom Brady. New England will desperately need other players to step up in the absence of the greatest quarterback the franchise has ever known.
Betting against Belichick to find a way to make this team competitive would be a mistake. New England may not be a Super Bowl contender without Brady, but they still have one of the NFL’s best defenses. That group is going to keep this team in a lot of football games.
The Patriots still have more variance as a team than almost any other franchise in the league. Expect the unexpected in New England this season. That makes them a great team to feature with some bold predictions.
5. The Patriots will lead the NFL in rushing attempts
Belichick allowed his offense to throw the ball a lot because Brady was the best quarterback in NFL history. This year he will revert back to the blueprint of running the ball and winning games with his defense.
That means the Patriots are going to keep the ball on the ground a ton. That also happens to play to the strengths of one of the league’s best offensive lines. Running the ball inside behind guards like Joe Thuney and Shaq Mason will be a staple of the New England offense in 2020. Belichick is going to try to bludgeon his opponents to death. That’s why the Patriots will lead the NFL in rushing attempts next year.