The cat is out of the bag. Prior to the 2015 season, there were legitimate concerns that Tom Brady would be suspended for some part in the scandal involving deflated footballs. Panic set in. Would the Patriots need to play one-quarter of their season without arguably the best quarterback of all time? Would the Jets, Dolphins, and Bills benefit? Would New England go 0-4 or 1-3 in that span?
None of the above.
Had Brady missed the first four games of 2015, we still would have expected the Patriots to go 2-2 or 3-1 in that span, with a perfect 4-0 record not completely improbable.
Brady – by extension, New England – is such a prominent piece of the National Football League that his presence – or lack thereof – moves the needle. As always, when the scale between perception and reality becomes imbalanced, opportunity arises.