All those years the Patriots were winning they focused on O Line play. Belicheck knew that is he kept Brady upright he always had a chance to win. In the SB losses to the Giants the D line of JPP, Tuck, Strahan and the rest pounded Brady. In the Game ATL gave away they pounded Brady in the first half too. Then they stopped.
A great O Line makes OK players seem better than they are at other skill positions. The Patriots don't waste huge salary cap money on WRs and RBs. They use reclamation projects or other cheap options knowing that if Brady has time people will be open and he will find them.
Honestly I was hoping Dimitroff would have learned that before he came to the Falcons, but no he dumped huge money into Julio Jones and never fixed the line.
If I were building a team in pro or college it would always start in the trenches.