Do Pats have enough to make NFL playoffs? YEA: Grit will get Pats into postseason

Fall in New England has some delightfully predictable patterns. The reds, oranges and yellows blazing in the foliage ? the crispness of the autumn air ? the aroma of burgers sizzling on a grill outside Gillette Stadium.Fall in New England has also acquired some distressing deviations. The boys of Foxborough, once locks for the Super Bowl, have come up short in previous years. First it was Tom Brady, lost for the season thanks to Bernard Pollard and the Kansas City Chiefs in 2008 ? then it was Tom Brady, looking hapless and hopeless against the Baltimore Ravens in last year’s postseason.Well, the good news is, the foliage, franks and football are back ? and the 2010 Patriots will be back in the postseason.I can hear the groans already. Last year’s team offered little reason for optimism near the end, losing its regular-season finale to the Houston Texans and then getting embarrassed in the playoffs against Baltimore. Meanwhile, a pair of division rivals – the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins – have supposedly gotten better. But let’s not lose ourselves in pessimism about last year’s results or this year’s rivals.Last year’s team faded in part because Brady missed one of his best wide receivers, Wes Welker, in the playoffs. Welker should be back with the same game-breaking ability this year, nicely complemented by Randy Moss.What also doomed the 2009 Pats was the clubhouse griping that took attention away from football. One of the prime offenders, Adalius Thomas, is gone, representing a classic case of addition by subtraction.Meanwhile, rookies who distinguished themselves last year, guys like Julian Edelman on offense and Darius Butler and Patrick Chung on defense, should be able to follow up with strong sophomore seasons. If cornerback Devin McCourty can impress in his first year, so much the better.I have yet to be convinced that the Jets or Dolphins are this year’s version of the 1985 Chicago Bears. The Jets added players who have either underachieved in the playoffs (LaDainian Tomlinson) or dishonored their reputations (Santonio Holmes). Tomlinson’s ex-Chargers teammates were quick to disparage him after he left San Diego, and ex-Super Bowl MVPs sometimes bring diminishing returns in their next few seasons.The Dolphins represent a different challenge because of their wildcat offense. Coach Tony Sparano is a mini-Belichick in terms of the creative way he composes game plans ? a creativity that well suits Miami, home of Art Deco architecture and Gloria Estefan. And everyone has gone gaga over the Dolphins bringing wide receiver Brandon Marshall into the wildcat mix.The fact is, though, that individual stars don’t shine as bright as consistent constellations. That’s what the Patriots finally have again ? a grit that will dazzle as brightly as the meteor showers in the skies this week. It says here the Pats will split with the Jets and Dolphins this season, go 11-5 overall, and win the division.Rich Tenorio is The Item’s sports copy editor.