In mid-November the New England Patriots — yes, the same Patriots who finished 4–13 in each of the last two seasons sat at 9–2 with the best record in football.
Let that sink in.
A franchise expected to be knee-deep in a rebuild, led by a 23-year-old quarterback, owns the top spot in the NFL with six games to play.
And the road ahead? Favorable.
Five of the remaining six opponents have losing records. The sixth is a team New England already beat on the road. So 13–4 or even 14–3 is suddenly realistic. A first-round bye is in play. A deep playoff run isn’t far-fetched.
A Super Bowl appearance? It no longer sounds outrageous.
Before Nov. 13’s 27–14 prime-time win over the Jets, USA Today had the Patriots at No. 3 in its weekly power rankings. The Athletic listed them among seven legitimate Lombardi Trophy contenders, one of just three in the AFC.
Yes, their schedule hasn’t been brutal, and yes, they looked sluggish at times against the 2–8 Jets. But the previous week’s road win over the then-6–2 Buccaneers added legitimacy.
The weekend of Nov. 23, they headed to Cincinnati riding an eight-game winning streak. They beat the Bengals 26-20.
This team has moved well beyond “emerging.” These Patriots are firmly in the league’s top tier right now.
The season carries echoes of 2001, when the Tom Brady–Bill Belichick Patriots rattled off nine straight victories en route to the franchise’s first Super Bowl.
That team featured Brady, a 24-year-old second-year quarterback who completed 64 percent of his passes with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. This year’s squad has Drake Maye, a second-year QB completing 72 percent with 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Comparisons to 2001 in New England are never taken lightly. That team changed everything. It sparked a dynasty, turned Boston from “Loserville” into “Titletown,” made duck boat parades an unofficial school holiday, and turned Boylston Street into a Canyon of Heroes.
On Thursday night, Gillette Stadium felt shades of those early dynasty days. “They’re loyal and knowledgeable and we’ve got to give ’em reason to cheer and be excited,” head coach Mike Vrabel said postgame. “I think we’ve done that. And in return, they’ve given us a great atmosphere to play in front of.”
Maye soaked in “M-V-P!” chants throughout the night. “I thought the fans were awesome,” he said.
“Pretty sweet for a prime-time game.”
Of course, no one is booking February flights to Santa Clara — not yet.
Playoff-tested juggernauts remain in the path, and true contenders reveal themselves in January. But New England has been here before. In January 2002, the Patriots weren’t supposed to beat the Raiders in the snow, or the Steelers at Heinz Field with Drew Bledsoe in relief, or the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams in New Orleans. Yet they did on Adam Vinatieri’s legendary 48-yard game-winner. What followed was a run of 17 first-place finishes in 20 seasons, 13 AFC Championship appearances, nine Super Bowls, six Lombardis, and 13 championship parades across Boston’s four major sports teams.
Lightning doesn’t strike like that twice.
But this? This feels like a spark.
Whatever lies ahead, these Vrabel-Maye Patriots have delivered an unexpected gift as the holidays approach. A team that was supposed to be rebuilding has given New England meaningful football, surprise dominance, and a sense of magic not felt in years.
For now, Pats fans..enjoy this.
Whatever lies ahead, these Vrabel-Maye Patriots have delivered an unexpected gift as the holidays approach. A team that was supposed to be rebuilding has given New England meaningful football, surprise dominance, and a sense of magic not felt in years.
For now, Pats fans, enjoy this.
Editor’s Note: This edition of the Observer went to press on Dec. 1, before the Patriots faced the New York Giants, so at press time those scores/game result was not available.
