Two games into the season, the New England Patriots’ defense has already flashed like one of the league’s best units. They rank fourth in total yards allowed, they’ve given up the fewest points in the NFL, and they even added a defensive touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.
That kind of start matters even more because the offense has been uneven. Drake Maye is in a slump, A.J.
Brown is out, and the Patriots may need the defense to keep dragging them through the early part of the schedule. So far, that side of the ball has answered the bell.
Now comes the real examination.
The first two opponents made for a decent early read, but not a definitive one. No slight to the Seattle Seahawks or Steelers, but neither offense is being treated like a true heavyweight. New England’s defense still did its job, including holding Seattle to 13 points in the opener even in a loss, but the next stretch will tell a much clearer story.
That stretch starts with a road trip to face the Jacksonville Jaguars, who last season finished 12th in passing yards per game and sixth in points per game. Then comes another road test against the Buffalo Bills, where Josh Allen has looked like the easy MVP favorite through two weeks - and not by a little. Buffalo also sits first in points per game, fourth in passing yards per game and sixth in rushing yards per game.
If the Patriots can simply survive those matchups defensively, that alone would say plenty. If they can hold up and keep proving they belong among the league’s elite units, that would send a much louder message.
Still, the defense can’t carry everything forever. As sharp as it has looked, New England needs Maye and the offense to find some rhythm soon.
Brown’s absence makes that tougher, but the group has to show signs of progress. There was at least a step in the right direction in Week 2, when the Patriots beat the Steelers 20-3.
The bigger picture is that the offense is still sorting itself out after a busy offseason. The Patriots added Brown and Romeo Doubs, moved on from Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte and even Austin Hooper, and shifted Jared Wilson back to center. That kind of turnover takes time to settle.
For now, though, the standard is clear: the defense has to keep delivering. And with Jacksonville and Buffalo up next, New England has a chance to prove its start wasn’t a fluke.
In Other News...
Tom Brady Report Reopens How Football Helped End His Marriage
Tom Bradys family life is back in the spotlight after new reporting from an upcoming biography by Lars Anderson revisits the strain his football career put on his marriage to Gisele Bundchen. Brady and Bundchen finalized their divorce in October 2022 after 13 years together, and the latest account digs back into one of the central issues around the split: her frustration with the demands and priorities of his football commitments.
The biography also adds fresh detail to a relationship that had already been heavily scrutinized, including claims that Bundchen wanted Brady to retire and that her connection with Joaquim Valente began earlier than previously understood. The book says the marriage ultimately unraveled after Brady decided to unretire in 2022, reopening a chapter that, for Patriots fans, has long been tied to the final stretch of his career. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Dip Into Practice Squad Again For Key Week 3 Roles
The Patriots leaned on familiar depth again for a key Week 3 assignment, elevating safety Mike Brown and defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms Jr. from the practice squad for Sundays game against the Jaguars. Both players have been around the organization in recent seasons, moving between the practice squad and the active roster while giving New England some continuity at two spots that can come under strain quickly during the season.
Brown and Pharms are expected to go back to the practice squad after the game, which is the kind of roster maneuver that has become part of the weekly rhythm for teams trying to stay flexible early in the year. For the Patriots, it also underscores how much they continue to value players who already know the system and can be called upon without much adjustment when a spot opens up. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Tight End Problem Feels Bigger After One Offseason Misfire
The Patriots went into the offseason trying to add some badly needed depth at tight end, bringing in free agent Julian Hill and using a draft pick on Eli Raridon. It was a sensible attempt to address a spot that has been thin for a while, but Hills season-ending injury quickly changed the equation and left New England without the extra body it was counting on.
From there, the opportunity to make a bigger swing never materialized. Kyle Pitts had been discussed as a possible trade target for the Patriots, but Atlanta kept him and then extended him, even as his 2026 start has drawn fresh scrutiny around that decision. For New England, the result is another reminder that the tight end room remains unresolved, and the offseason move meant to stabilize it may already be behind schedule. [Read more 🡒]