It seems crazy to say, but even with leaving the this offseason, the organization is still looking at expectations heading into 2020. This has been a seismic offseason for New England as it not only lost the greatest quarterback of all-time in free agency, ending a 20-year run of dominance together, but the club also saw a number of key pieces to its previous Super Bowl championships depart. signed with the . inked a deal with the . opted out. Still, it's Lombardi or bust for the fellas in Foxborough.Heading into this season, the Patriots are still poised to have one of the top defenses in the league and quite po sibly are looking at a dynamic offense headlined by quarterback . That said, there are a number of challenges awaiting Bill Belichick and company as they enter 2020. While the AFC East is still able to be had, juggernauts like the and are roaming around the conference, and the , , and are other clubs vying to be the next face of the AFC.Sure, it's going to look different in New England this year without No. 12 slicing his way up-and-down the field, but the goal remains the same for Belichick's crew. Here are four Nate Gerry Jersey reasons to believe that the Patriots will be able the climb the mountaintop for the seventh time in the franchise's history.1. Belichick will put together one of the finest seasons of his coaching careerIt seems clich to say, but it rings true: As long as Bill Belichick is still roaming around the sidelines with his short-sleeved hoodies, the Patriots should always be considered a Super Bowl threat. The major variable heading into 2020, however, is that he won't have Tom Brady, the quarterback he's won all six of his Super Bowl titles as a head coach with, under center. While losing the greatest quarterback of all-time in free agency isn't ideal, I do think Belichick relishes the opportunity to see what he can do without Brady. This is an opportunity for both Belichick and Brady to carve out a different chapter in their Hall of Fame legacies and prove to the rest of the NFL-viewing world that they can succeed without one each other. That type of challenge is one that I believe Belichick, who did go 11-5 with as his quarterback in 2008 when Brady suffered a torn ACL, will Wendell Smallwood Jersey embrace. Belichick (who has 273 career wins) is also breathing down the neck of George Halas (318) and Don Shula (328) on the all-time wins list, so the motivation is there for the head coach on multiple fronts.That brings us to 2020, where Belichick has a roster -- if everyone remains healthy -- that can make a legitimate run at a Super Bowl with the proper coaching. This season is set to be unlike any other in the league due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of offseason activities, preseason and limited training camp will put a lot of pre sure on coaches acro s the league to get their players up to speed. There should be no doubt that Belichick will be able to do that in Foxborough. In fact, this may even give New England an advantage over other clubs if coaching takes on even more value in 2020.While the AFC East is improving, no club has really pulled away as the clear favorite, leaving the door open for the Patriots to win their 12th-straight division title in 2020 and put Belichick in line for the fourth NFL Coach of the Year award of his career. 2. Cam Newton is healthy and ready for a comebackEverything coming out of Foxborough as it relates to Cam Newton is five-star. Since the former quarterback signed on with Ronald Darby Jersey the club back in July, he has received rave reviews, including from , quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch and even Belichick himself. To this point, it feels like a foregone conclusion that Newton will eventually be named the starter to open up the regular season.What makes Newton's arrival in New England so exciting as it relates to their Super Bowl chances is that the 31-year-old is finally healthy. He's had no real limitations due to his shoulder or his foot, a pair of injuries that have hampered his production over the past few years. If that remains the case, the Patriots have themselves a quarterback who was league MVP at the peak of his powers and was able to take Carolina to Super Bowl 50. Of course, it may be too much to ask for Newton to return to his 2015 self, but if he can get close to that type of production both with his arm and legs, the Patriots offense will have a versatility that they've never been able to utilize before. Newton has also shown the ability to be a very accurate quarterback, completing 67.9% of his pa ses over 14 games played in 2018.The writing appears to be on the wall for Newton to bring above-average quarterback play to the Patriots in 2020, which may mean more of the same in Foxborough in 2020, even without Brady at the helm. 3. The defense will continue to be among the top units in the NFLA lot has been made about the Patriots losing a number of key figures on defense, specifically at linebacker, and rightfully Nigel Bradham Jersey so. Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, and all leaving in free agency is unquestionably a big blow to a New England defense that was arguably the best in the league a season ago. The opt-outs of fellow linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety also make things that much more difficult for Belichick. Despite those lo ses, the Patriots do have the pieces to not only replace them to a degree but continue to be looked at as an elite unit.The secondary will continue to be the best the league has to offer, headlined by reigning Defensive Player of the Year . There's no reason to believe that Gilmore's play will dip in 2020. He'll continue to be a black hole for opposing pa sing games. Brian Westbrook Jersey According to Pro Football Focus' metrics, Gilmore was the highest-graded corner in the league when quarterbacks targeted him with a clear pocket, allowing zero touchdowns and totaling five interceptions. Gilmore also allowed just a 48.0 pa ser rating when targeted last season. He should continue to eliminate opposing offenses' top receiver in 2020.What makes this secondary so dangerous, however, is how deep they are. Opposite of Gilmore, veteran and J.C. Jacskon are stellar corners in their own right. Specifically with Jackson, he's poised to take another leap in his ascension as a premier corner in the league. When targeted last year, the 24-year-old allowed the lowest pa s-rating (37.0) in the entire league. With more opportunity heading into Year 3, Jackson may be another elite option for New England's secondary. Of course, at safety, the Patriots will need to figure out how to recoup the production lost by both Chung and , but they do have options to pair alongside star safety . The club added , drafted in the second round of the 2020 draft and have been trying second-year defensive back , a 2019 second-rounder, at that spot as well.That all being said, the key factor in the Patriots defense maintaining that elite production will come at linebacker and off the edge. Both second-year pa s-rusher and veteran should line up