Training camp is nearly upon us. It’s exciting. It’s the time of year when everyone thinks their team is the one to beat. Ergo, pretty crazy scenarios start popping up. And as much fun as it is to indulge in the crazy, let’s step back and reconnect reality.

The Patriots are going to go 16-0!

No. No. N-O. This is a very bad expectation to have. How many teams have ever gone 16-0 in the regular season? ONE. Yes, it was the Patriots. And yes, their schedule this year is laughably easy. But does no one remember the Cleveland Browns game two years ago? When the Pats got their butts whipped by a far lesser opponent? Uh huh. That stuff happens, no matter how bad a team looks on paper (or even on the field in some cases). So enough of the perfect season chatter. As much fun as it would be to watch the Pats do it again, I’d rather see them win a Super Bowl. Wouldn’t you?

Wes Welker is going to suck!

This makes zero percent sense. But sure, let’s go with it. Welker, the unhappy franchisee, is allegedly going to play poorly because he didn’t get what he wanted in terms of a long-term contract while guys like Drew Brees, Ray Rice and Matt Forte did. Obviously his best course of action now is to play like crap and ensure he definitely doesn’t get re-upped by the Pats and that whatever teams do want to offer a deal low-ball him because he played like crap. Yes. Logical.

The defense is going to be better than 2011!

Uh…why is that again? Who did the team sign to help this unit? Are we expecting Chandler Jones to have a 10 sack season? Because I’m not quite sure that’s going to be plausible. The secondary is still weak, the linebacking core is still average and with the exception of Vince Wilfork the front-seven still can’t compete against the elite teams. Perhaps they’ll all turn out to be shining stars in training camp and perhaps they’ll develop into some kind of dominant force, but from what we’ve seen the last three seasons, there’s no reason to expect the defense will be all that much improved.

BONUS THOUGHT: I still think Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the NFL. While Aaron Rodgers and Brees (and, gag, Eli Manning) have started stealing his spotlight, Brady is still the class of the league. What he manages to do year in and year out for the Pats is nothing short of amazing, particularly when the offense has been short on talent. Sure, he has his off days. They all do. But Brady is still the guy I’d pick to be under center any day of the week.