A team that has gone 8-26 over the last two seasons wouldn’t be thought of as a playoff team, but the NFL is often full of surprises. Through six games, the 4-2 New England Patriots are one of them, and thanks to the Buffalo Bills’ loss in Atlanta on Monday night, Mike Vrabel’s crew sits atop the AFC East heading into Week 7.
The Patriots’ turnaround isn’t a shock to some, as we all knew Vrabel is a quality head coach who could right New England’s ship. But the fact that it’s happening so quickly comes as a surprise to many, as the Patriots have won three straight games for the first time in three seasons.
Second-year quarterback Drake Maye is playing at an MVP level – told you he would raise his game under Josh McDaniels – and the Patriots have their guy at the most important position in the game. It’s impossible to picture this team out of the playoffs at this point.
If the season ended today – and there’s a long way to go – the Patriots would be the No. 4 seed and host the Bills in a wild-card game. And the Chiefs would be out of the playoffs. We’d all be winners come January if playoff football was back in Foxborough and the Swifties had nothing to cheer about except Travis Kelce’s fiancee’s new album, but there’s a long way to go.
Patriots’ upside may continue to climb in coming weeks
The Patriots’ next two games – at Tennessee and at home against Cleveland – represent a chance to get to 6-2 by Halloween. Beating up on bad teams is what good teams do, and the Titans, who just fired their head coach, appear to be a punching bag for New England in Nashville.
According to Pro Football Network, the Patriots’ chance of qualifying for the postseason is 76.1%, while their AFC East odds are 27.4%.
Maye has not thrown an interception during the Patriots’ three-game winning streak, perhaps a sign that his early-season turnover struggles are slowly disappearing into the rearview mirror. The second-year quarterback’s attitude and leadership are reflected in the rest of the team.
New England’s bend-but-don’t-break defense has surrendered more than 21 points in just one game – and the Patriots won it in Miami. The unit dodged bullets with Harold Landry and Carlton Davis both getting nicked up in New Orleans, but both were OK and returned to the field.
The Patriots have seven more games until their bye week. The toughest game over that stretch appears to be in Tampa Bay. Winning at least five of those seven and getting to the bye week at 9-4 – after which the Bills come to Foxborough – is not an unrealistic stretch.
It’s one of the Patriots are going to have to take advantage of if their playoff dreams are to become a reality.
