"If Mike Vrabel could draw up the perfect scenario through the first third of the 2025 regular season, this would be it for his New England Patriots. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye is ascending into elite territory. The defense is developing a bend-but-don't-break mentality with just about everyone on that side of the ball contributing. The franchise has managed to turn its two biggest weaknesses of the past several years - left tackle and wide receiver - into positions of strength."
"The arrow is firmly pointing up on New England, and the good times could continue to roll through October. The two lowest scoring teams in football on a points-per-game basis - the Tennessee Titans (13.8) and Cleveland Browns (13.7) - are up next on the schedule. New England enters Week 7 ranked 11th in scoring and hasn't surrendered more than 20 points defensively over its current three-game win streak."
"The Patriots definitely left some meat on the bone in New Orleans, but Vrabel's group deserves credit for side-stepping a potential trap game. It's never easy to win games at Caesars Superdome, and the Saints had been competitive despite a 1-4 start. Couple that with the high of last week's Sunday night upset over the Buffalo Bills, and all the ingredients were there for a letdown."
The New England Patriots sit 4-2 and have their best start since 2019 as Drake Maye emerges as an ascending quarterback. The defense has adopted a bend-but-don't-break identity with multiple contributors and has not allowed more than 20 points over a three-game win streak. Longstanding weaknesses at left tackle and wide receiver have been addressed and turned into strengths. The schedule brings low-scoring teams Tennessee and Cleveland next, offering opportunities to extend momentum. The team produced efficient offensive starts in New Orleans, with Maye avoiding sacks and turnovers despite penalties and a limited running game.
Read at Musket Fire
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