Patriots might have hidden advantage over Bills they haven't had in years

"There was an expected decline for the Patriots after Tom Brady left the team in 2020, especially with whoever wound up as the next quarterback, and the Patriots' quick demise turned out to be worse than anticipated. That led to fans checking out of their fandom, for good reason or exhibiting fair-weather behavior, and that was incredibly apparent during home games over the last five years. For a team that has been sold out of season tickets since Robert Kraft bought the team in the mid-90s, it was a shocking sight to see little to no support for the Patriots during home games."

"That has changed dramatically over the past year, and t he biggest reason is Drake Maye and, of course, Mike Vrabel. The excitement is back in Foxboro, and it's not just because of the impressive run the team is on this season; optimism about the future has Patriots fans buying back into the team, and that was surely evident in their last game vs. the Giants. It felt like the Brady era again, and the players are feeling it, too. It is bringing back the home-field advantage that most teams are fortunate to have, but the Patriots had lost it in recent years. But that's not the case this year."

"#Patriots CB Marcus Jones on the fan support:"They're very in tune. They're making it harder for the opposing teams, and we love that, especially on the defensive side. The energy at home - we're able to make more plays whenever we feel as though the fans are more involved." pic.twitter.com/P7f7FpBj7A- Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) Decem"

The Patriots experienced a pronounced decline after Tom Brady left in 2020, with an uncertain quarterback situation and worse-than-expected results. Fans disengaged over the following five years, producing sparse home-game support despite a long history of sold-out season tickets under Robert Kraft. Support rebounded dramatically over the past year driven largely by Drake Maye's emergence and coach Mike Vrabel's influence. Renewed optimism and an impressive 2025 run have brought back strong home attendance and energy. Players credit the crowd for boosting defensive performance. That energized home-field atmosphere could be pivotal in the upcoming divisional game against the Bills.

Read at Musket Fire