You can’t point to a few different reasons to make sense of the Patriots’ unprecedented run of success over the past two decades.
Yes, a bulk of the credit falls on the shoulders of two of the best to ever do it in Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. But one staple of New England throughout the Brady-Belichick era has been the franchise’s uncanny inability to adapt, and it was on full display this past Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots, who entered their Week 6 contest against the New York Giants without No. 3 wideout Phillip Dorsett and versatile back Rex Burkhead, lost Josh Gordon to a knee injury shortly before halftime. The reigning Super Bowl champs, in turn, were forced to make do with a pair of undrafted rookies in Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski. The duo didn’t stuff the stat sheet by any means, but their combined six catches for 88 yards helped New England improve to 6-0 on the season.
Colin Cowherd has come to understand Brady will be able to make it work with whoever you throw around him, and “The Herd” host praised this trait while playing the “3-Word Game” in wake of Week 6 action.
“Giants-Patriots: Brady with anyone,” Cowherd said Monday on FOX Sports 1. “Five different people have led the Patriots in receiving this season, including AB (Antonio Brown), who’s no longer a Patriot. Thirteen different players have a reception this year. Everybody in this league loses people and complains. ‘Oh, we can’t win.’ Well-coached teams — Saints, Carolina and New England — overcome injuries, overcome backups. Brady, 75 touchdown passes in his career to different receivers. Nobody in the league has had more of a mishmash of parts to work with and they’re undefeated.”
While the Patriots were able to notch their latest win with the likes of Meyers and Olszewski, it’s tough to imagine this is something the franchise is comfortable banking on moving forward. New England, save for its Week 4 showdown with the Buffalo Bills, hasn’t truly been battle-tested thus far, and a dearth of talent might not fly against the likes of the Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs, all with whom the Patriots will square off later in the season.
In short, the Pats very much need Julian Edelman, Gordon, Dorsett and their stable of running backs healthy moving forward. We’re not saying New England is going to completely fold during its tough stretch of games beginning in Week 8, but it will be hard-pressed to continue to run roughshod over the league with a hobbled roster.
