Amid all the silly Super Bowl talk by Boston sports writers prior to this past Sunday’s Pats game, Cam Newton had the gall to suggest that maybe the Pats’ recent success was a “fool’s gold,” based on a weak schedule and lack of team injuries. He even doubled-down on his “fool’s gold” comment after a predictable local bout of indignation. … But you know what? Cam was largely right. Here’s one Herald headline following Sunday’s less-than-impressive, injury-prone win over the Bengals: “How much damage did the Patriots’ Super Bowl hopes just take?” And then there’s this from the Globe: “Patriots win ninth straight, but red-zone struggles are a major concern if they want playoff success.”

Bottom line: There’s too much 2001 Pats nostalgia going on here. This past Sunday’s game was a reality check for the Pats and their fans. Let’s see how the Pats respond moving forward.