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I don’t see Garoppolo getting traded and I’m really on the fence about him beating Brady out before they both are due for free agency in 2018. I know Brady wants to play 10 more years but obviously that probably not realistic. Things can change quickly in the NFL. I do like Garoppolo and think he’s a good fit for the Patriots and the direction the NFL is headed, but I think Brady will maintain a high level barring injuries for at least two more seasons. But with an almost-40 QB you can’t afford to have just anybody backing him up.

2017 is a huge year of free agency that will define the direction of a new Patriots team. Then there will be a major decision to be made in 2018. Is there a world where both Tom and Jimmy get extended? 

Shouldn’t be surprising that this will be a defining moment for Belichick and I doubt Brady will make it easy on him.

I’m hopeful that they end up the 2/3 seeds and we can let them fight it out in the divisional round. If they play the right kind of game, both could beat the Patriots, but I agree, Peyton in January, especially now and outside, is not someone who I think can drop 300+ yards on our defense.

I really like the Bengals and admire how they’ve drafted, stayed true to their coach and quarterback and they’re having success now because of it. More teams should model themselves this way, but are instead chasing 12 win seasons every year and blowing things up when they don’t hit that mark.

New England’s offense vs. Denver’s defense is an epic matchup, but I think the Bengals would give the Patriots more problems matchup-wise across the board with their weaponry. Lot of Pats fans seem to just assume Andy Dalton will stink in the playoffs but I’m not convinced. Look at the games Eli Manning and Mark Sanchez put together against us. When a QB plays mistake-free the game can go either way.

The problem with the Bengals is their size on offense. How do you cover Eifert? Chung is at a size disadvantage. Maybe Collins, but that takes him out of covering RBs, how they usually use him. 

No matter what the trickle down effect is going to mean some combo of Ryan/Coleman/McCourty for Sanu/Jones and any way you cut it those are size mismatches. And Butler is good but is he really going to shut down Green? He’s probably going to need over the top help from Harmon.

Maybe Peyton has one last hurrah in him to knock off the Patriots, but it’s Dalton and the Bengals across-the-board talent that would worry me more. Pats will be favored against either, likely home or away, but I don’t think either team would be an easy walkover win like the Colts were last year.

Well not all players have the kind of outside income that Brady does, nor are they married to someone as successful as he is. So Brady has that flexibility. I think the players who value winning over money are fewer than we’d like to believe. Chandler Jones will be an interesting case study, with only Richard Seymour as the model for how the Pats value a homegrown defensive end. Obviously that was contentious at times and as soon as the Pats saw their chance to unload him for a first rounder they jumped. 

I’m a trenches guy. I think money needs to be spent especially on the defensive and offensive lines. So I’m all for making a fair market deal for Chandler, even if it’s a bigger than expected kind of deal. That’s where games are won. Not with cornerbacks. Not with wide receivers. With defensive ends, defensive tackles and offensive linemen protecting a good quarterback. 

But the bottom line is NFL players need to make money when their chance comes, though I do have a hard time putting myself in the shoes of someone who’s going to make millions of dollars either way taking an extra million to go play in a small market team where they’ll be losing games and out of the spotlight.

For someone like Chandler you could argue that you might take less money from the team, but that can be made up because you’re going to be in the spotlight.

But how long will it last? How long does Brady have left? How long does Belichick have left? Do you want to be stuck with an average contract when they’re gone and things get a little bumpy?

And it’s not like New England is an easy place to play, and you know once you’re close to the end they’re going to cut your ass.

Lots to consider, but you can’t really fault a guy for taking a less pressure/more money situation after already having a ring.

I’d have to go with Caserio because his fingerprints on are on the entire team and the drafts and free agent additions in recent years have been outstanding. McDaniels has to be one of the hottest head coaching candidates and he’ll be able to choose any opportunity he likes (hopefully in the NFC). But Caserio is a vital piece to complement Belichick and one who I think has really done a better job than Pioli did before him.

I think the wild card here is that as the weather gets worse it’s only going to exacerbate Peyton Manning’s inability to drive the ball. So you’ve got to wonder how much of a homefield advantage Denver will really even be for them. 

And also, we’re just hitting the halfway point of the season. There is so much football to be played, and unfortunately plenty of time for season-altering injuries. 

There will be a lot riding on the Pats-Broncos game and the matchup between Brady and the Denver D looks tantalizing. But imagine if it’s snowing or windy that game. Which team (and specially offense) will be better suited to deal with it? This is the game that Chandler Jones needs to dominate facing a third-string left tackle.

And the crazy part is will the Pats defensive gameplan flip from the last couple seasons where they dared the Broncos to run on them? This time around will the dare them to pass? I’m very curious.

All things being equal, the Patriots have the easiest schedule of the three top AFC teams. Doesn’t mean it will translate to the best record but they could still get the top seed even if they lose in Denver.