CHFF says the Pats fate hinges on the defense

Hey, CHFF says something super smart! This is all about the Pats, but it makes too much sense to ignore.

•The Patriots have reached the AFC title game five times in the Belichick Era (2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007). Their average defensive passer rating in these five seasons was 68.9 — much better than the average modern pass defense (about 80).

•The Patriots have failed to reach the AFC title game four times in the Belichick Era (2000, 2002, 2005, 2008). Their average defensive passer rating in these four seasons was 85.5 — worse than the average modern pass defense.

In other words, the Patriots are Super Bowl contenders when they have a decent pass defense. They are not Super Bowl contenders when their pass defense sucks.