The Patriots offense once again surged at Gillette Stadium this past weekend, scoring 33 points on a solid Cincinnati defense.

Since the return of Tom Brady two weeks ago, the Patriots offense has put up 64 points, including six receiving touchdowns and two rushing scores.

Between a fresh and motivated Tom Brady, a finally-healthy Rob Gronkowski and Dion Lewis returning in the coming weeks, the question is: Can anyone stop the Patriots’ offense. If yes, then who will it be?

The last time the Brady-led offense was stopped by an opposing defense was in the 2015 AFC Championship game in Denver, when the vicious Broncos defense surrendered only 18 points. If you recall, the Patriots played that game without their starting two running backs in LeGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis, while both Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski were only partially healthy.

It’s early in the season as the NFL has yet to even reach its halfway point, but it’s hard to imagine even the 2015 Broncos slowing down the Patriots attack, if healthy of course. So let’s assume the Patriots do, in fact, remain healthy … who on the schedule poses a serious threat?

There are few teams remaining on the schedule that are worth mentioning, such as Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Seattle, Denver and the Jets, but should we bet on any of them holding New England to under 20 points? No.

Instead of going through a team-by-team analysis on why they will not stop New England, I would much prefer to list what these teams will face down the road.

Receiving Targets: Perhaps the most dominant red zone threat of all time, the Patriots finally have their star in Gronkowski healthy. Martellus Bennett has also proved to be the second tight end the Patriots have longed for since the departure of Aaron Hernandez in 2013. This duo alone has combined for 386 yards and four scores in the past two weeks.

Although Julian Edelman has experienced a drop in looks, it has nothing to do with his ability or place in the Patriots’ scheme – there are just more bodies to share the ball with. Even if there is an underlying injury we have not been made aware of, the bye week is coming in three weeks which will allow him to hopefully heal.

On top of these three targets, defenses will still have to account for newly-acquired Chris Hogan, who seems to be building a rapport with Brady, as well as veteran Danny Amendola. The Patriots are also able to pass out of the backfield, whether its to James White or Lewis.

Rushing Attack: Obviously Blount, White and Lewis aren’t a dominant rushing attack, but this trio is more than capable of carrying the load when called on.

Blount is currently seventh in the league in rushing yards (439), and is tied third in rushing touchdowns (6). Considering he was called on a bit more in the opening four games, these numbers are a bit inflated. However, he has at least demonstrated solid ability when running between the tackles.

Lewis’ return will also bolster this rushing attack as well. Although Lewis is more of a finesse back, his ability to make defenders miss tackles is uncanny, and the Blount- Lewis combo should be more than ready to contribute in close games. Will the Patriots running core win them games? Probably not. But is it efficient enough to require attention, and take the heat off of Brady when needed? Yes.

Improving Line: If there is any vulnerability in the Patriots’ offense, it’s the offensive line.

Although the line play has been shaky at times this season, Patriots quarterbacks have only been sacked 12 times, which is tied for 12th best in the league.

Nate Solder is a solid tackle, David Andrews is a solid center, but what about the others? Yes, rookie Joe Thuney has struggled early on, and yes, Shaq Mason has been noticeably weak at guard. Before panicking, we must remember that both players are young and improving, and there is perhaps no better coach to learn under than Dante Scarnecchia. Am I trying to argue that the offensive line isn’t a concern? Of course not, but as the season progresses, so should the quality of this group.

Tom Brady: I’m not a fan of the whole “2016 Revenge Tour” campaign, but it’s hard to pretend that Brady’s suspension hasn’t lit a fire under him. We don’t need to review his numbers, tape or resume to prove his worth. Brady has proven to be among the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and even at the age of 39, he still seems as fresh as ever, especially with the four game layoff to begin the season.

Over the years, the best method to stop the Patriots attack is to get to Brady. But with the amount of targets around him, even an aggressive pass rush won’t be enough to slow him down, as he will have hands across the entire field to throw the ball to.

Overall: The NFL is an unpredictable league. Injuries and upsets occur, so I’m not predicting that the Patriots ride this hot streak all the way through Super Bowl 51. However, barring unforeseen circumstances, the Patriots offense should be able to put up at least 20 points per opponent, and be considered a heavy favorite to come out of the AFC.

As long as the offense stays healthy, and the defense can be average (which shouldn’t be a problem), the Patriots will be the best team in the NFL the rest of the way.

Could Seattle, Denver and even the Ben Roethlisberger-less Steelers pull off the upset? Yes, but will they? I doubt it. New England fans should not be surprised if they see the Patriots cross the finish line with a 15-1 record, and the top-seed in the AFC heading into the playoffs. I’d consider myself a pessimist with many football-related topics, but it’s hard to bet against this scorching-hot offense at the moment.

— Associate Sports Editor Alex Sponseller can be reached at [email protected] or at 282-1535 ext. 323. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @ JournalTsports.