The New England Patriots have a rising star in quarterback Drake Maye, an aging star wideout in Stefon Diggs, and one of the NFL's best head coaches in Mike Vrabel. What they don't have are players like Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and superstar wideout Ja'Marr Chase, two of the best in football.

On the surface, the Patriots look just as good as any team that's made the Super Bowl. They went 14-3 in the regular season before beating the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3 in the AFC Wild Card Round, the Houston Texans 28-16 in the AFC Divisional Round, and the Denver Broncos 10-7 in Sunday's snowy AFC Championship Game.

However, New England played just four games against eventual playoff teams during the regular season and went 2-2 in those contests. Its other loss was a 20-13 defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1, who finished 3-14 and now own the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

On top of that, the Patriots beat a Texans team without star wideout Nico Collins and a Broncos squad without starting quarterback Bo Nix. That's not to discredit their run, but this wasn't a treacherous road to the Super Bowl.

In addition to favorable circumstances, what carried New England was its defense. The squad finished second in the NFL with 17.3 points allowed per game in the regular season, only behind the Seattle Seahawks (17.1), who it will face in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8. The team has also allowed 30-plus points in a game just once all season, including the playoffs. 

Compare that to a Bengals squad that finished 30th with 28.9 points allowed per game and allowed 30-plus points seven times. Burrow missing nine games with turf toe was the biggest reason why it finished 6-11, but the defense was a close second. 

If Cincinnati fixes its defense this offseason, its offensive talent could carry it to its first Super Bowl appearance since the 2021 campaign.

New England also has an effective offense, as it finished eighth with 27.2 points scored per game in the regular season. However, Cincinnati still finished 12th with 24.4 despite Burrow missing over half the campaign.

When the former LSU Tiger played the whole season in 2024, he led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns, while Chase won the receiving Triple Crown (catches, yards, touchdowns). The squad also finished seventh with 27.8 average points scored.

If the Bengals build at least a league-average defense, Burrow and the offense can take them to the promised land next season. They don't need an elite unit like the Patriots, but one that is good enough to not sink the ship.

The onus falls on the front office to acquire more defensive talent this offseason, especially with star pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson hitting free agency.