New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, like the rest of us, is excited that football is starting to ramp up again.
His team has been practicing at Gillette Stadium over the last two weeks during OTAs, where rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez has drawn rave reviews, and new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien has begun to put his stamp on the offense, among other developments.
Kraft wants the Patriots to be in the playoff mix this season after they failed to qualify in 2022. It was just the third time since 2001 that New England didn't make the postseason. Even though the Patriots have plenty of challenges on the road back to playoff football -- such as a grueling regular season schedule and a tough AFC East division -- he remains hopeful that the franchise will show improvement in 2023.
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"I’m just excited to have football back,” Kraft told reporters Thursday. “I liked our draft this year, and I hope that translates on the field. I know the guys are working very hard. I think we have the most difficult division in the NFL -- the best balance of teams. All the other three teams are good, so we’ll have our challenges. But I’m really hopeful about this team."
The Patriots do play in one of the most competitive divisions in the league, one that could send as many as three teams to the playoffs. It's going to be tough for New England to emerge from the pack as a playoff team.
In fact, the Patriots are expected to finish last in the division, something that hasn't happened since 2000. If you look at the latest betting odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook), the Patriots are +800 longshots to reclaim the division title. The Bills, who have won the AFC East crown in three consecutive seasons, are the favorites at +120. They are followed by the New York Jets (+270) and Miami Dolphins (+300). The Bills remain a top contender in the AFC. The Dolphins went to the playoffs last season and have a loaded offense. The Jets had a very good defense in 2022 and recently upgraded at their weakest position by acquiring future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
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The Patriots should be better in 2023 than they were last season, and that could include significant improvement offensively under O'Brien. But even that level of progress might not be enough to reach the playoffs given how many quality teams play in the AFC right now.