The 2018 New England Patriots are not special.
Quarterback Tom Brady, whose passer rating is only two points above the league average, has lacked consistency and seen his numbers decline over the course of one of the worst statistical seasons of his career. Already without the departed Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola, Brady has lost receiver Josh Gordon and isn't getting as much as expected out of favorite targets Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.
And New England's bottom-12 defense, which through 15 weeks ranked below the league median in terms of DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) at Football Outsiders, has surrendered more than 30 points on five occasions.