Patriots are not an elite team

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Tell me what team just played against the undefeated New Orleans Saints?

That wasn't the New England Patriots. No way, no how.

The Pats were just plain awful and there's plenty of blame to go around ...everywhere.

I'm not going to take anything away from the Saints, they are legit and it's hard to argue that fact. That offense is virtually unstoppable ...the Pats sure couldn't stop them. And New Orleans' defense, despite a lack of depth in the secondary, absolutely baffled Tom Brady.

How can Randy Moss and Wes Welker be non-factors in the entire game? That is totally unacceptable.

The Pats, not the Saints, played scared. I thought the Saints would crumble under the pressure of being undefeated and playing the Pats, but they weren't shaking one bit. This team has championship talent and a tough-as-nails approach that produce on offense and defense.

The Pats didn't tonight.

Back to the lack of execution for New England.

How could the Saints get heat on Brady on just about every play with only rushing three guys and dropping eight into coverage? Easy, the offensive line was terrible ...shame on them.

And when the Saints did blitz, Brady couldn't get the ball to Moss and Welker because they were blanketed by some very good coverage.

Like I said, there's plenty of blame to go around for the Patriots.

A lack of execution -- and some real bad play calling (I'm tired of this team running the ball and then hurting themselves with second- and third-and-long situations because of small pickups on those running plays) really ticks me off.

But the Saints no doubt had a lot to do with that.

What I learned tonight is that the Pats have no shot, yes I said NO SHOT at winning the Super Bowl.

With a defense that can't stop the pass -- the Colts shredded them and now Brees and Co. picked them apart -- or get any kind of pressure on the quarterback, there's no way the Pats can beat the elite teams in the NFL. The defense just isn't up to snuff (now you see why Bill Belichick went for it on fourth down against the Colts) Plus, the Pats can't win on the road.

The Pats are a better-than-average team, but they are not in the elite class. And that pains me to say that!

The Saints are elite and the Colts are elite. The Pats are not, and don't fool yourself.

I'm not giving up the Patriots, but numbers don't lie. You don't lose four games already and be considered Super Bowl contenders.

But if they get hot from this point on, the Pats couldn't give us a lot more to cheer about and make a nice run in the playoffs.

It's not all doom and gloom, but now is the time to man up.