NFL Power Rankings: Philadelphia Eagles keep hope alive in Week 13

4. New England Patriots

After a decade and a half of outright dominance, the New England Patriots have somehow flown under the radar so far this season.

Maybe it’s because they don’t have the dominant, flashy offensive assault of the Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, or Kansas City Chiefs (none of whom have appeared on this list thus far, I wonder why?), but are the Patriots somehow flying under the radar in this Tom ‘Tommy Terrific’ Brady‘s 19th professional season in the NFL?

Yes, somehow they have.

While this season’s Patriots squad aren’t the same team that led the league in points-per-game and yards-per-game back in 2012 or the team that went undefeated in route to a loss in Super Bowl XLII back in February of 2008 they still have enough firepower to be a threat in every game they play, especially after the addition of Josh Gordon earlier this season.

Sure, they lost to the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Detroit Lions (ugh), but the Patriots are a lot like the Golden State Warriors at this point, a team that coasts through the regular season and comes alive in the playoffs.

Sitting comfortably atop the AFC East with an 8-3 record through 11 games without a true contender in their division (as per usual), the Patriots will once again represent their division in the playoffs for what feels like the 100th straight year, and probably breeze though the playoffs in route to yet another Super Bowl appearance. It must be nice to be a Boston sports fan.