Patriots
“I believe there’s an important chemistry. It is a younger workforce, too.”
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Rhamondre Stevenson reportedly ought to be good to play in Week 1 after lacking Friday’s follow
The Patriots are in a uncommon spot in Robert Kraft’s 30-year tenure as they enter the 2023 season.
New England is projected and is the odds-on favourite to complete in final place within the AFC East within the new season. It additionally has its worst odds to win the Tremendous Bowl since Invoice Belichick grew to become its head coach in 2000, additional cementing its underdog standing.
Whereas Kraft has definitely loved a great deal of success throughout his time because the Patriots’ proprietor, he’s OK with the label some have positioned upon his workforce coming into the 2023 marketing campaign. He’s additionally optimistic that the Patriots will show them fallacious.
“I type of like that persons are choosing us to return in fourth within the division,” Kraft informed reporters Thursday at a ceremony unveiling the finished renovations to Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots are coming off their second shedding season within the three years since Tom Brady left the group, going 8-9 in 2022 to overlook the playoffs. However they haven’t completed in final place within the AFC East since 2000.
It looks as if an actual risk that would change this season although. They completed behind the Payments and Dolphins within the AFC East final season with each groups anticipated to contend for the playoffs once more. As well as, the Jets acquired four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers to repair their quarterback woes as they completed only one sport behind the Patriots with one of many league’s prime defenses.
Nonetheless, Kraft stays centered on his workforce and optimistic in regards to the group. He’s praised Mac Jones a number of occasions over the offseason and known as the re-hiring of Invoice O’Brien to be the workforce’s offensive coordinator an “wonderful alternative” a number of months in the past.
He reiterated that optimism on Thursday.
“I believe there’s an important chemistry,” Kraft stated. “It is a younger workforce, too. This may be one of many youngest groups, I believe. Coach [Bill Belichick] has performed an excellent job general. I believe having Invoice O’Brien come right here and work with Mac — they appear to have nice chemistry. I’m really excited in regards to the workforce.”
Kraft’s optimism will get nearly as exhausting of a check as attainable in Week 1 when the Patriots host the Eagles, sitting as four-point underdogs for Sunday’s sport as of Friday.
“We’re taking part in the workforce that got here inside three factors, proper on the finish, of successful the Tremendous Bowl,” Kraft stated of the Patriots’ Week 1 opponent. “Their line of defense is excellent, their entire workforce. Now we have our arms full. Fingers crossed.”
Although Kraft is aware of a troublesome check lies forward for the Patriots this season, that’s altering his expectations. He expressed in March that it’s “crucial” that the Patriots make it again to the playoffs this season.
With Brady again at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, these expectations haven’t modified as Kraft hopes to relive only a style of these glory days.
“In the long run, we need to win,” Kraft stated.
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