"It has only taken six weeks for the New England Patriots to match their 2024 win total. Sunday's 25-19 win over the New Orleans Saints got the Patriots to 4-2, the amount of games won by New England a season ago. The Patriots' three-game winning streak is giving the fans the sense that this team is for real. The Patriots found a way to win ugly in the Big Easy, highlighting that the mark of a good team is avoiding trap games on the road."
"For one, their quarterback is playing at an MVP level. Drake Maye has commanded this offense extremely well, and his Year One to Year Two jump has been extraordinary. Additionally, some of the perennial contenders in the AFC are dropping like flies. The Ravens are 1-5, and Lamar Jackson's health remains a question. The desperate Bengals just traded for the aging Joe Flacco. The Chargers and Broncos appear ready to unseat the Chiefs in the AFC West."
"But the biggest factor? The Patriots' schedule. Tough games in the second half of the year in Baltimore in Cincinnati suddenly don't look as challenging. New England's next two games are against the Titans and Browns. They should be 6-2 come Halloween. New England's toughest game between now and Thanksgiving appears to be in Tampa Bay. Expect that one to be a shootout. The Patriots still have the pathetic Jets twice, as well as the Dolphins, the Bills, and the Giants in Foxborough."
The Patriots matched their 2024 win total in six weeks, improving to 4-2 after a 25-19 victory over the Saints. A three-game winning streak has built confidence that the team is legitimate. New England won an ugly road game and avoided a trap, a sign of improvement under coach Mike Vrabel's short-term focus. Quarterback Drake Maye is playing at an MVP level with a major Year One to Year Two jump. Several AFC contenders are struggling, easing the path to the postseason. A favorable schedule with winnable upcoming games makes an 11-win, playoff projection realistic.
Read at Musket Fire
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