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For the first time in 10 years, the New England Patriots will open up postseason play in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Due to the Patriots’ 27-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17, New England will be forced with a task they have never accomplished during the Bill Belichick–Tom Brady era — win a Super Bowl while beginning play in the first round of the NFL playoffs.
While the Patriots will be forced to travel a longer road if they hope to hoist their seventh Lombardi Trophy, NFL legend and Hall-of-Fame cornerback Deion Sanders doesn’t believe that’s a bad thing — he claims it’s a good thing.
Sanders, who has spent the entire NFL season defending Brady and the Patriots despite their sluggish play, claimed New England not having that bye week will keep them fresh — something that they desperately need.
Via Adam London of NESN:
“They don’t need a bye. Offensively, they’ve had a bye all year,” Sanders said Sunday on NFL Network’s “NFL GameDay Prime.” “The receivers have had a bye the whole training camp and everything. They don’t need a bye. They need to stay in it and work on their game and work on getting back to the Super Bowl, where they rightfully belong. This is not a team that deserves, nor needs a week off. This is the best thing to ever happen to them. It really is.”
Sanders’ Confidence in Patriots Remains ‘Tremendously High’
Sanders, who actually played for the Baltimore Ravens for a couple seasons and knows a thing or two about winning Super Bowl titles — he won two Super Bowls during his playing career — has the utmost confidence in the Patriots. In fact, he still believes that the Patriots will make it to the Super Bowl over the No. 1-seeded Ravens and the No. 2-seeded Kansas City Chiefs.
“My confidence level is high. My confidence level is tremendously high. Now you gotta understand I do love the Baltimore Ravens. I love what they bring to the table. And I even like Kansas City, the way that defense has been playing in the last several weeks statistically defensively. I think they’ve outdone every category statistically last season to this season is unbelievable.
But this team right here, the Patriots. They got something, man. They have something special. You cannot just count them out especially when a guy like Bill Belichick is on the sideline and Tom Brady,, Julian Edelman, they got arguably the best defensive player of the year at cornerback right now as well. So let me tell you something guys. I will not give up on the Super Bowl champions. They are still the Super Bowl champions until another team wins it.”
Sanders’ Confidence Level in Patriots is a ‘9’
There is no doubt that the Patriots appear to be at their most vulnerable during their dynasty run. Brady’s statistics are some of the worst of his career and the offensive unit’s ranking of 15th in yardage is the worst since 2003. Furthermore, the offensive unit’s points scored is their worst with Brady under center since 2006 — when New England’s top receivers were Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney.
However, the fact that the Patriots have overcome the odds time and time again — everybody thought this dynasty was over by 2014 and they’ve won three titles since — and the fact that they have the greatest head coach-quarterback duo in NFL history makes it hard for Sanders to not have confidence in the Patriots.
For those wondering, Sanders’ confidence level in the Patriots isn’t a 10 — it’s a nine.
We’ll see if New England can live up to Sanders’ claims moving forward.
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