Patriots Talk Podcast: Can Pats be contenders with the team they have?

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Is it time for the New England Patriots to hit the panic button?

According to Patriots quarterback Cam Newton, that button doesn't need to be pushed just yet. But there's no question the team's Week 6 loss to the lowly Denver Broncos is worrisome.

Now with a 2-3 record on the season, the Patriots must decide whether they are true contenders with the team they have and if they should make a move before the Nov. 3 trade deadline. Are they really just one piece away, or did Sunday's loss to Denver prove they're further away from making a run in the playoffs than we thought?

Curran: Five games in, the Patriots are on a flat-line trajectory

Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry discussed on a new episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast.

Patriots Talk Podcast: The Aftermath - Who is to blame for the Patriots loss to the Broncos? | Listen & subscribe | Watch on YouTube

"I think you look at this team right now and you can say to yourself -- for the first time this year really -- 'is this team good enough to make any kind of run in the postseason?' Because if it is, then you need to do something to improve yourself," Perry said. "If you think you're one piece away, if you think you're a tight end or a receiver [away] and you think you can make some kind of run ... go out and spend significant capital to make your team good for this year. Because who knows, you might be able to make a little bit of a run.

"You've got a great coach. You've got a team that's been there before. But I look at this team now and I wonder, are they really just one piece away? Can they make a trade where they deal one second-round pick or one first-round pick even, and all of a sudden they're right up there with those teams? Because that game on Sunday told me they are really far away from being a legit contender because of their passing game."

Curran follows Perry's take by noting the other various factors that led to the Patriots' disappointing loss, such as the decimated offensive line, Cam Newton's struggles and N'Keal Harry's continued ineffectiveness.

Check out the latest episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network or on YouTube.

 

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