The New England Patriots might finally be great again. Following the 24-6 smothering of the Carolina Panthers, confidence should be at an all-time high for this roster. Sitting at 5-4, they’re not the average team their record indicates. In all four of their losses, it came down to the final drive or even the final play in some respects. Though the last two weeks, the Patriots looked awfully familiar to some of the dominant New England teams of seasons past. Sure, they won against a disappointing quarterback in Sam Darnold, who threw three interceptions, and a less than 100% Christian McCaffrey. But this Panthers team isn’t terrible. The Patriots didn’t just walk into Bank of America Stadium and were handed a win like they were against the Jets. They’re also coming off of an impressive win in Los Angeles against the Chargers.
It might be reactionary to say the Pats are back so soon. But they’re definitely a team to watch as the playoffs near closer. Right now, the Patriots sit one game back of the Bills for the AFC East. We knew the Pats had the potential to make this race interesting. But to have them this close? It wasn’t predicted by many. This is a team you could easily argue, should be better than their record indicates. In all four of their losses, three of them came down to the final play or drive. Against the Dolphins, a Damien Harris fumble sealed it in week one. In week four against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, a batted Mac Jones pass forced Nick Folk to try a 56-yard field goal. In week six against Dallas, it came down to overtime and a Nelson Agholor drop cost them a possible game-winning drive.
Evaluating The Pats’ Current State
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Right now, New England is riding a three-game win streak. They’re playing the best football they have since the end of the Tom Brady era. Lightyears ahead of their 2020 campaign already, it’s easy to shoot for the stars with this squad. But the schedule only gets harder from here. With Cleveland and Tennessee coming up on the schedule and two meetings left with the Bills left to go, it doesn’t get easier from here.
But have they met their potential? Is this simply just a team that can keep up with good teams, but at the end of. the day will falter? I argue that the Pats can beat the best of them. It won’t always be pretty. They’ll let less than great teams stay in games. But this has always been the Patriots’ identity. Even in the Brady days they seldom blew teams out. They weren’t always more talented. They were just always smarter. This is quickly becoming the case again in 2021. With a really smart rookie quarterback, playing it safe and protecting the ball. A smart defensive core of linebackers and safeties. Meanwhile still being run by the greatest coach to ever live in Bill Belichick. You can call the Patriots a lot of things, dumb isn’t one.
How Far Can They Go?
So what is the ceiling of this team? I think the comparison to the 2001 Patriots squad isn’t absolutely nonsensical. They’re a gritty squad with a raw quarterback with a strong defensive presence. In 14 games a 24-year old nobody from Michigan passed for 2,843 yards and 14 TDs to 12 INTs, completing 63.9 percent of his passes. Jones through 9 games has tossed for 2,135 yards and 10 TDs to 7 INTs, completing 68 percent of his passes. Those numbers are comparable. On the ground, the 2001 Pats squad ran for just under 1,800 yards, the 2021 team is on pace to meet that and even break it. If you’re feeling any sense of familiarity, it’s totally justified.
Now, there will probably never be a Super Bowl champion as unlikely as the 2001 Patriots. Even this team winning the whole thing wouldn’t be as shocking. But hindsight is 20/20, and knowing what we know now, it is nowhere near unprecedented for there to be a Patriots vs Brady rematch in Los Angeles come February. A true number one receiver might do this offense some serious justice. And I know just the guy who might be on the open market come 4 PM Tuesday afternoon.
Looking ahead, this team is going to be a serious pain for opponents down the stretch. Should they maintain their wild card spot, this is going to be the team nobody wants to play in January. The Patriots are screaming to be heard and seen in primetime. A magnitude of things about this team has changed since their Sunday Night Football matchup versus the Buccaneers. One of the things that didn’t is their ability to beat anybody. The NFL has been put on notice. The Patriots are building something worth keeping up with. And they’re a team to watch in the coming weeks with big matchups ahead. First and foremost, versus the Cleveland Browns this Sunday.
