Shameless Shank

A day after declaring the Patriots dynasty all but over, Shank now tells us that they're not dead yet:

Don’t forget about the Patriots’ mojo factor

We can agree that the 2018 Patriots are not one of the stronger Bill Belichick/Tom Brady editions. Measured against their own heightened standards, these Pats do not compare with most of the Gillette teams that preceded them. They can’t win on the road, the ever-handsome Brady has become a Nervous Nellie in the pocket, and New England’s run defense looks as if it was designed by Bobby Valentine.

Headlines in the wake of Sunday’s loss have been predictable. Tuesday’s sampler includes: “Meet the Suddenly Ordinary Pats” (Globe); “How The Grinch Stole The Patriots’ Invincibility” (Wall Street Journal); “Patriots Look Ordinary, Vulnerable” (USA Today).

At times like this it’s important try to remember the secret weapon of the Patriot reign of the last 18 years.

It’s the time-tested, Walt Coleman/Pete Carroll/Richard Berman Factor.

I am talking about the horseshoe. The juju. The karma. I’m talking about the football gods that always shine on the House of Kraft. When all hope is lost, we need to remember that there’s almost always a Tuck Rule, a goofy slant pass, or a Patriot-lovin’ federal judge just around the corner.

Leaving aside the fact that Judge Berman did not help the Patriots win any games, we'd just like to point out the last two Shank columns seriously contradict each other, and he does not care in the slightest if anyone notices this.