I will be trustworthy: I assumed the New England Patriots had been a yr away.
With Mike Vrabel taking on as coach and Drake Maye getting into his second season, coupled with some huge cash being spent in free company to bolster the roster, I assumed the Patriots can be a feisty staff that might win eight or 9 video games this season.
Now look. The Patriots lead the AFC East by 1½ video games over the Buffalo Payments and have ripped off seven straight victories, together with an spectacular street victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
The Patriots are getting MVP-like play from Maye, coupled with a protection that’s stout towards the run and sticky in protection on the again finish.
The Jerod Mayo mini period positive looks like a very long time in the past. Credit score goes to proprietor Robert Kraft for making the choice to fireside Mayo with an opportunity to rent Vrabel. He brings a self-discipline and a toughness to the staff that exhibits up on Sundays.
Whenever you add in a franchise quarterback like Maye, a participant who appears to have an aw-shucks persona to go together with his killer fashion on the sphere, the outcomes should not an accident.
The Tampa Bay sport was a prove-it sport of types for the Patriots, and so they handed with flying colours. Maye was good once more, except for a horrible end-zone interception, and the protection made life robust on the Bucs offense. It helps they’ve excellent cowl gamers in Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis at cornerback.
The Patriots’ revamped protection had six gamers who signed as free brokers final spring who began towards the Bucs. Vrabel has achieved a fantastic job bringing that group collectively.
New England is as much as third in my Energy Rankings this week, proper behind the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams. Anticipate the Patriots to be close to the highest for no less than a month.
Their subsequent three video games are dwelling towards the Jets, on the street at Cincinnati and residential towards the Giants earlier than a bye. A ten-game profitable streak is an actual risk. After the bye, they’ve the rematch with the Payments, who they beat earlier within the yr.
Overlook concerning the division title. With their schedule, they’ve an actual shot to be the highest seed within the AFC. That will imply the playoffs would undergo Foxborough.
Who within the title of Invoice Belichick noticed that coming?
Largest Movers
|
Rk |
Groups |
Chg |
Rcrd |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
|
Sam Darnold did not even should do a lot towards Arizona as a result of the protection was so dominant. That entrance is nasty and might want to present up massive towards the Rams this week. | 2 | 7-2-0 |
2 |
|
Matthew Stafford is lighting up defenses because the Rams able to face the Seahawks on Sunday. Their defensive entrance additionally has game-wrecking capacity. | 2 | 7-2-0 |
3 |
|
Drake Maye for MVP. It is potential. The schedule will get actually delicate the subsequent three weeks to assist bolster his probabilities. | 2 | 8-2-0 |
4 |
|
The protection got here up massive towards the Packers, however the offense has to get it going. However profitable on the street towards good groups is hard to do. | 2 | 7-2-0 |
5 |
|
Give the ball to Jonathan Taylor. They bought again to what they need to at all times be doing, and it paid off massive towards the Falcons. | 2 | 8-2-0 |
6 |
|
Regardless of the loss to the Patriots, they’ve a hammer-lock on the division. However the thought of getting the No. 1 seed might be fading away. | 5 | 6-3-0 |
7 |
|
Dan Campbell took over because the play-caller and the offense got here to life. In fact, they did it towards air, in any other case generally known as the Commanders protection. Nevertheless it was spectacular. | 4 | 6-3-0 |
8 |
|
The letdown after beating the Chiefs was a catastrophe in Miami. If you cannot cease the run, and so they cannot, you’ll be able to’t win a Tremendous Bowl. That needs to be mounted. | 6 | 6-3-0 |
9 |
|
The place is the offense? Bo Nix simply is not taking part in effectively proper now. It is as much as Sean Payton to repair him. | 1 | 8-2-0 |
10 |
|
They arrive off their bye with an enormous division street sport at Denver. They cannot afford to lose one other one, or else their playoff probabilities may very well be in actual jeopardy. | — | 5-4-0 |
11 |
|
The place is the offense? The previous two weeks, it simply hasn’t been adequate. The accidents to the weapons are actually impacting the passing sport. | 2 | 5-3-1 |
12 |
|
The protection confirmed up in an enormous method towards the Steelers. With the offensive line a difficulty now with accidents, they may want much more of that down the stretch. | — | 7-3-0 |
13 |
|
Coming again to beat the Giants was search for Caleb Williams. They’re within the thick of the playoff race. | 3 | 6-3-0 |
14 |
|
They’ve righted issues in a rush and have a delicate schedule arising. The division may very well be theirs after a gradual begin. | 4 | 4-5-0 |
15 |
|
The J.J. McCarthy state of affairs is changing into worrisome for this staff. Do you assume they need that they had Sam Darnold again? | 2 | 4-5-0 |
16 |
|
The accidents to the protection proved to be an excessive amount of to beat within the loss to the Rams. Matthew Stafford carved them to shreds. | 1 | 6-4-0 |
17 |
|
For a bit, the offense was good and the protection was terrible. Now the protection is healthier and the offense did nothing towards the Chargers. The Ravens are coming quick too. | — | 5-4-0 |
18 |
|
Davis Mills saved their season towards the Jaguars. Who noticed that coming? They’re nonetheless alive for a playoff spot. | 2 | 4-5-0 |
19 |
|
Blowing a 19-point fourth-quarter result in Davis Mills has to sting for this group. The protection value them this one, however the offense would not do sufficient. | 5 | 5-4-0 |
20 |
|
Simply after we assume they’re able to compete for a playoff spot, they lay an egg like they did towards the Saints. Bryce Younger wants to select it up. | 1 | 5-5-0 |
21 |
|
They’re sinking quick. The run protection was horrible towards the Colts, which might’t occur towards a again like Jonathan Taylor. | — | 3-6-0 |
22 |
|
The Jacoby Brissett hype prepare derailed in Seattle, however with Kyler Murray harm, it is nonetheless his staff. The road did not assist him a lot both. | — | 3-6-0 |
23 |
|
Even when Jayden Daniels had performed towards the Lions, it would not have mattered. The protection is terrible. They’re achieved. | — | 3-7-0 |
24 |
|
The offense is a large number. Geno Smith has no time, however he hasn’t been good when he is had some. A lot for Chip Kelly livening up the offense. | — | 2-7-0 |
25 |
|
They higher hope getting Quinnen Williams modifications the best way they play protection. It has to, proper? It may well’t get any worse. | — | 3-5-1 |
26 |
|
Blowing the lead towards the Bears, with Jaxson Dart out with a concussion, value Brian Daboll his job. Mike Kafka needs to be smarter with Dart. | — | 2-8-0 |
27 |
|
Any likelihood they discovered a protection in the course of the bye? Most likely not. Prepare for extra shootouts. | — | 3-6-0 |
28 |
|
Give Mike McDaniel credit score for having his staff able to upset the Payments. They have not stop. | 1 | 3-7-0 |
29 |
|
Profitable at Carolina is sweet, however the massive factor was that Tyler Shough appears to be making progress. Might he be their long-term man? | 1 | 2-8-0 |
30 |
|
They’ve gained two straight to assist flip this factor round. A lot for the concept buying and selling away stars would wreck them even worse. They’re set for the longer term with all of the draft picks. | 1 | 2-7-0 |
31 |
|
They discover new and artistic methods to lose each week. They misplaced to a Jets staff whose huge receivers mixed for 7 yards. Particular groups killed them. | 3 | 2-7-0 |
32 |
|
They’d a bye this previous week. That is a win. Plus, the primary general choose now looks like it will likely be theirs. | — | 1-8-0 |
![[Newspoint] A dying not precisely unforetold](https://www.rappler.com/tachyon/2025/12/Maria-Catalina-Cabral-death-not-unforetold-December-27-2025.jpg "[Newspoint] A dying not precisely unforetold")
