Tom Brady is out for the season, but can anyone say with certainty that the Patriots are screwed?

I’m going to say it: Yes, they are in trouble. Maybe it was just shock, but they had trouble holding off the Chiefs on Sunday. And though Matt Cassel didn’t mess up, he’s not the QB to lead New England to the Super Bowl. The Pats still will win their division, but with a 10-6 record and the Bills and Jets close behind. And after the Chargers, Colts and Jaguars lost Sunday, the AFC might not be as formidable as usual (but wow, did the Steelers roll). But what will hurt the most is that other teams won’t fear the Patriots like they did last year. When Brady returns in 2009, can the Pats recapture that? Or will the window of dynasty have already closed?

Unless Matt Cassel steps up, New England clearly wasn’t ready for this contingency. And if he doesn’t step up, the Pats won’t make it past the first round of the playoffs.