Ever since Tom Brady played his first game as a New England Patriot, they have been the top dogs in the NFL. The Patriots have the longest active consecutive playoff appearance streak, ten seasons in a row and counting. They have also won the Superbowl six times in the last 17 years. Even now with a team full of veterans, and a 42 year old Tom Brady, they’re still the best team in the league.

One reason why the New England Patriots are still the most deadly team in the league is because of their defense. So far this year their defense is allowing only an astonishing 223 yards per game, and fewer than seven points per game. The craziest part about their defense being so dominant is that their secondaries are really old. Even though the secondary is the team’s biggest strength, their best players, Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty and Devin McCourty, are all 29 years old or older. They still find a way to be the most destructive players on the field, despite their age saying otherwise.

Another why the New England Patriots are still one of the biggest threats in the league is because of their depth in the running. Unlike a lot of teams, the Patriots don’t have a superstar in their backfield. Instead, they have multiple mid-level players, who don’t put up the craziest numbers, but play the part perfectly. Rex Burkhead is the power back on the team, Sony Michel is their shifty running back and James White is the receiving back on the team. All of these running backs are not considered an elite running, yet they do their part to be one of the best backfields in the NFL.

The last reason why the Patriots are still a dominant football team is because of the standard their organization sets. Despite the Antonio Brown and Robert Kraft problems, you never hear of much drama going around about the Patriots. They have always done a good job of getting the players they need, and having players do their part and nothing else. There are never just a couple of amazing players that do everything for the team, each player puts the team success over their own personal success.

 New England Patriots have been the best team in the league for a span of almost two decades, and this is why they will keep on being successful for years to come.