"A 2-2 record after four games is typically nothing to sniff at, but Mike Vrabel's Patriots may have sent a message to the league and the AFC with last week's 42-13 pasting of the Carolina Panthers. Yes, Carolina is closer to the No. 1 pick in the draft than to being considered an elite team, but if you want to be a contender, you've got to beat up on bad teams, especially in your building."
"In the midst of Sunday's blowout, the Patriots have some areas they need to improve, including slow starts. Carolina marched right down the field on its opening drive for a touchdown, mirroring what the Raiders and Steelers did in their visits to Gillette Stadium, both of which resulted in Patriots' losses. If it hadn't been for a spectacular punt return from Marcus Jones that swung momentum, who knows how that Carolina game would've turned out."
The first quarter of the NFL season shows contenders emerging while bottom-feeders fall back. The New England Patriots are 2-2 and achieved a 42-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers, showing the importance of beating weaker opponents at home. Bleacher Report forecasts the Patriots among the AFC's 2025 playoff participants. Injuries to Cincinnati and Baltimore quarterbacks create additional opportunity in the AFC. The Patriots must correct slow starts that allowed opening-drive touchdowns by Carolina, the Raiders and the Steelers. A favorable October schedule against the Bills, Saints, Titans and Browns — teams with a 1-11 combined record — could produce a 5-3 record.
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