Negativity Against the Patriots Continues to Trend Upward

From this:

To this:

I have to admit, James Jones got me. I did not see this Shyamalanian twist coming at the end. Well played by him. He used the audience’s natural inclination to believe that Bill Belichick (225-79 in New England, 28-10 in the postseason, five titles) has the edge over Andy Reid (65-31 in Kansas City, 2-4 in the postseason, nowhere close to even one title). But he pulled the surprise ending on us. That is some advanced trolling that will take this man far in the Patriots Hating business, where business is always good.

I don’t have a problem with a guy saying Damien Williams is good. Hell, I used about 500 words and a half dozen videos to make the point he’s a legitimate threat. He’s not better than the combined threats of Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead and James Develin, but he’ll be a factor Sunday.

My bigger point is, how can anybody look at that graphic and claim the Patriots have no right to think everyone’s counting them out? Or call bullshit on them for playing the Nobody Respects Us card? When we say it’s New England Against the World, that is almost literally true:

Thanks for the support, Michigan. Obviously the special interest group Maize-and-Blue No. 10 Jersey owners formed a voting bloc and carried the election.

Then there’s this, from Roger Goodell’s Ministry of Propaganda and Public Enlightenment:

None of which makes the people who’ve been saying the Pats are in decline admit the Pats are justified in believing everyone thinks they’re in decline:

…even though everyone does:

So to recap: An NFL Network analyst thinks the Chiefs have the advantage in every single category. 43 of 50 states are all pulling for the Chiefs. An ESPN poll says 15 percent of Americans expect them to win the Super Bowl. And pundits all over the place are saying the roster is dreadful. But the Pats have no right to feel nobody believes in them. Got it. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a billion times: Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean everyone isn’t really out to get you.