"The New England Patriots are one of the big surprises of the 2025 NFL season after Week 9. A team that won four games in 2024 (albeit one a gift from the Bills in the final game of the season) has already won seven. Is it their weak schedule at play, and not a sudden increase in proficiency? It's a valid question."
"NFL schedules are what they are. If you're not good in the previous season, you get a break in the next. It's all for parity's sake. It goes for every team every year. Yet, sometimes teams that appear on a so-called "weak" schedule aren't so weak at all. In 2024, if you ran into the Washington Commanders, you found that out."
""New England Patriots: Are they as good as their record? Things look pretty great in New England for the first time since the Brady-Belichick era ended. The Pats are 7-2, sitting in first place in the AFC East, and Drake Maye might be the NFL's MVP if the voting took place today. But it's hard to overlook their schedule. They've played the Raiders, Dolphins, Saints, Titans, Browns and Falcons. That's six games (and five wins) against t"
The New England Patriots unexpectedly sit at 7-2 after Week 9 following a 4-win 2024 season. NFL schedules reward poor previous-season records with ostensibly easier opponents for parity. Several opponents faced by the Patriots this year have raised strength-of-schedule questions. Drake Maye has emerged as a potential MVP candidate while the team has strung together a multi-game winning streak. Any NFL team can win on a given Sunday, so schedule context matters. An upcoming game against the 6-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers could offer clearer evidence about how much the Patriots’ record reflects true quality.
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