NFL Power Rankings, Week 11: Patriots still looking up at Ravens, 49ers

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 22: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on during the preseason game between the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 22: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on during the preseason game between the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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NFL Power Rankings New England Patriots Bill Belichick and Tom Brady (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
NFL Power Rankings New England Patriots Bill Belichick and Tom Brady (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

The Bad

The toughest part of the New England Patriots schedule is coming up.  Depending how they prepared in during their time off could make this a good or bad stretch.

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What we do know is that the next four games going up against Carsen Wentz, Dak Prescott, Patrick Mahomes II and Deshaun Watson will definitely challenge the defense.

Not only will the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans try to mimic portions of what the Baltimore Ravens did, each of those teams will be pumped up to see how they measure against the defending Super Bowl champions while trying to knock them off.

With an 8-1 record, the Patriots do have some breathing room to lose one or perhaps even two of those games.  Depending how they lose, if they lose, could tell the tale of the team’s fate going into the playoffs.

If they lose in the fashion, they lost to the Ravens by getting gashed in the run game, then there will be a blueprint out there on how to attack this defense.

In all, it could fall on the shoulders of Tom Brady and an inconsistent passing game.  If that ends up being the case, it may not be very good unless that man who once wore No. 87 decides to return to the game.

That’s Rob Gronkowski by the way, not Ben Coates.