"The Patriots went into the 2025 season with not much pressure to put together much more than a better season than their back-to-back years of just four wins. The expectation was they could maybe double their success under new head coach Mike Vrabel, but still miss the playoffs and continue their rebuild next offseason. They have far exceeded all predictions and are now heading to Denver to face a Bo Nix-less Broncos team in the AFC Championship, and the stakes couldn't be higher."
"Because of that, the pressure to get past the Broncos is higher than it would typically be, despite facing a gauntlet of defenses to get to this point. Analysts and media members, like Stephen A. Smith, have now decided that if they can't steal the win, then the Patriots aren't as good as some thought, making it even more crucial to book their trip to San Francisco on February 8th."
"The ongoing narrative surrounding the 2025 Patriots has been criticism of their apparent easy schedule, which hasn't slowed down since the playoffs began. They beat the Chargers and Texans at home in consecutive weeks, with most analysts expecting their opponents to win, but now that they are headed to the AFCCG, they haven't faced any talent in the playoffs so far. They're set to take on the Broncos, who have a top-5 defense and a career backup quarterback under center, Jarrett Stidham, whom the Patriots drafted in 2019."
The Patriots entered 2025 with low expectations after consecutive four-win seasons and a rebuild under new coach Mike Vrabel. They far exceeded predictions and advanced to the AFC Championship in Denver without facing Bo Nix. The matchup escalates stakes because the Broncos will use backup Jarrett Stidham and possess a top-5 defense. Critics argue the Patriots benefited from an easy schedule despite playoff wins over the Chargers and Texans. Media voices, including Stephen A. Smith, say a loss would fuel claims the Patriots are overrated, increasing pressure to secure a Super Bowl berth on February 8th.
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