Bedard: Go ahead, starting dreaming of ... you-know-what, with these Patriots

FOXBOROUGH — You know how you hear NFL players and coaches talk about how tough winning is in the NFL? It's true — for the most part.

Everyone's a professional in this league. The difference between winning and losing is very small. The salary cap levels the playing field a bit. On any given Sunday, any team can win if they suddenly execute a perfect gameplan perfectly, and get a little help at the right times. Yada, yada, yada.

And while we'll get the usual preambles out of the way — You can't overreact to anything in Week 1, and I'm pretty sure there's an old pigskin proverb that says, Who's the bigger fool, the fool or the fool who reads too much into conquering a Mike Tomlin-coached team? — you have to be extremely impressed by the Patriots' absolutely dominating 33-3 victory over the Steelers on Sunday night.

Remember, this was a team that just beat the Patriots in December. Ben Roethlisberger is regarded as one of the league's top quarterbacks. Their offensive line is terrific. The Steelers made changes in defensive personnel and scheme to specifically counteract the Patriots. Tomlin is supposed to be a Belichick contemporary — Tomlin is second to The Hoodie in winning percentage (.680 to .654). And the Steelers had the entire offseason to prepare for a Patriots team that hasn't changed all that much since last season.

And the Patriots did that to them.

I thought this was supposed to be hard?

• At Dolphins: If you mention anything about not winning down there, you're an idiot. That team just lost 59-10 at home to the Ravens, whose quarterback can't throw and still tossed five touchdown passes.


• Jets: They just blew a 16-0 lead at home to Josh Allen and the Bills.


• At Bills: This team is a little frisky, but Allen is still their quarterback.


• At Redskins: Blew a 17-0 lead and Case Keenum is the quarterback.


• Giants: Got crushed by the Cowboys.


• At Jets: Them again?


• Browns: Yeah, they've got talent... and got waxed 43-13 at home by ... the Titans.


• At Ravens: Yup, the Patriots will definitely have to come to play in this one but Lamar Jackson is really going to out-duel Brady? Well, he is on pace for 80 touchdown passes...


• At Eagles: Definitely a tough game, but the Patriots will be coming off a bye week, which helps immensely after a hard-hitting game in Baltimore.


• Cowboys: Belichick is not losing to Jason Garrett at home. Sorry.


• At Texans: These guys again? The Jack Easterby Bowl ... William, leave no doubt.


• Chiefs: Patriots will need to strap in for this one, but it will again feature the Andy Reid Buffer.


• At Bengals: Beware the Red Rifle ... nah, just kidding.


• Bills: Seriously?


• Dolphins: They might be relegated to the XFL by this point.