"Entering Week 16, Vrabel's Patriots lead the NFL in first-half scoring, averaging 16.7 points per game, according to Team Rankings. That trend was on full display in Sunday's tough loss to Buffalo, with New England racing out to an early 21-0 lead; in their previous game, in Week 13, the Patriots surged to a 30-7 lead over the New York Giants in the second quarter."
"When it comes to starting games, the Patriots have become the envy of the NFL in 2025. Finishing the game? That's been an entirely different story, and it's leaving Patriots fans with an uneasy feeling with the start of an anticipated playoff run now just around the corner. When you flip the stat to second-half scoring, New England falls from first to 21st."
Mike Vrabel is 14 games into his first season as head coach of the New England Patriots. New England leads the NFL in first-half scoring, averaging 16.7 points per game. The Patriots opened games strongly, including a 21-0 start against Buffalo and a 30-7 second-quarter advantage against the New York Giants. Second-half production drops dramatically, with the team ranking 21st in second-half scoring. Buffalo leads the league in second-half scoring at 17.3 points per game and outscored the Patriots 28-7 over the final two quarters in the recent matchup. New England ran only 18 offensive plays in the second half of that game while Buffalo ran 17 plays in the third quarter alone. The defense played without middle linebacker Robert Spillane during the collapse, and the coaching staff has not resolved the late-game issues.
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