The Patriots began the year 2-2, ending that stretch by getting absolutely mauled in Kansas City. The scavenger birds were circling. Then they crushed Cincinnati. Then they crushed Buffalo on the road. Then they barely beat the Jets and went to 5-2.
At that point, things were looking up, but they faced the gauntlet. A stretch of 7 games against very tough opponents.
Opponent (their status going into the game)
vs Chi (3-4, but with an array of offensive weapons)
vs Den (6-1, top seed in the AFC, coming off four straight blowout wins)
at Ind (6-3, first place in the AFC South, coming off a blowout win over the Giants)
vs Det (7-4, first place in the NFC North)
at GB (8-3, first place in the NFC North)
at SD (8-4, winners of three straight)
vs Mia (currently 6-5, facing the Jets tonight)
That's 7 games against teams with a combined 44-24 record (at the moment; that will change after tonight). Three games on the road. Facing four teams that were, at the time NE played them, division leaders. All but Chicago legitimate playoff contenders. One is the current top seed in the NFC, the other was the top seed in the AFC at the time NE played them.
So far, they are five games into this gauntlet. They are 4-1. Huge, huge game this week against SD. A win puts NE in very good shape heading into the last three division games to end the year. A loss suddenly puts NE in a hole - probably a game behind Denver and, in fact, even behind SD, who would have the same record but who would then hold the tiebreaker over NE.
Still, most people didn't think NE would be hard pressed to finish 5-2 during this stretch. Some folks thought they'd go 3-4. But 4-1 is pretty darned good so far against a slate of opponents that have a combined .648 winning percentage (at the time they would have played NE; except for Miami…TBD).
In other words, they are running the gauntlet with flying colors. So far. Two more to go.
At that point, things were looking up, but they faced the gauntlet. A stretch of 7 games against very tough opponents.
Opponent (their status going into the game)
vs Chi (3-4, but with an array of offensive weapons)
vs Den (6-1, top seed in the AFC, coming off four straight blowout wins)
at Ind (6-3, first place in the AFC South, coming off a blowout win over the Giants)
vs Det (7-4, first place in the NFC North)
at GB (8-3, first place in the NFC North)
at SD (8-4, winners of three straight)
vs Mia (currently 6-5, facing the Jets tonight)
That's 7 games against teams with a combined 44-24 record (at the moment; that will change after tonight). Three games on the road. Facing four teams that were, at the time NE played them, division leaders. All but Chicago legitimate playoff contenders. One is the current top seed in the NFC, the other was the top seed in the AFC at the time NE played them.
So far, they are five games into this gauntlet. They are 4-1. Huge, huge game this week against SD. A win puts NE in very good shape heading into the last three division games to end the year. A loss suddenly puts NE in a hole - probably a game behind Denver and, in fact, even behind SD, who would have the same record but who would then hold the tiebreaker over NE.
Still, most people didn't think NE would be hard pressed to finish 5-2 during this stretch. Some folks thought they'd go 3-4. But 4-1 is pretty darned good so far against a slate of opponents that have a combined .648 winning percentage (at the time they would have played NE; except for Miami…TBD).
In other words, they are running the gauntlet with flying colors. So far. Two more to go.