Under new head coach Mike Vrabel and with rookie quarterback Drake Maye playing at an MVP level, the New England Patriots have powered their way to a 16-3 record and punched their ticket to the AFC Championship Game. Two playoff wins later, they’re one step away from the Super Bowl-and yet, somehow, the national conversation still hasn’t caught up.
Critics have been quick to point to the Patriots’ so-called “soft schedule,” but that narrative doesn’t hold up under the weight of what this team has actually accomplished. The Patriots didn’t choose who they played; they just beat them. And when the postseason rolled around, they kept doing the same thing-handling playoff-caliber opponents with the same businesslike efficiency they’ve shown all year.
Mike Vrabel has brought a familiar edge back to Foxborough: discipline, toughness, and a team that plays with purpose. But make no mistake-this version of the Patriots is building something new. And with Maye under center, they’re doing it with a quarterback who looks like he belongs on the biggest stage.
Analyst Greg Bedard was one of the few who saw this coming. He outlined a clear path to the AFC Championship back in early January, citing the team’s improving health and favorable matchups.
That foresight now looks spot on. The Patriots are healthy at the right time, and they’re peaking when it matters most.
Of course, the job isn’t done. Standing between New England and a Super Bowl berth is a trip to Denver to face a Broncos team that’s dealt with its own share of adversity.
The loss of starting quarterback Bo Nix-an emerging star and one of the league’s most promising young players-casts a shadow over Denver’s chances. But this is still a dangerous team, especially with a top-tier defense and the altitude advantage at Empower Field at Mile High.
And let’s not pretend the Patriots have been injury-free. They’ve had to navigate their own setbacks.
Running back Antonio Gibson missed most of the season, and the defense was without key contributors like Milton Williams (five games), Khyiris Tonga, and leading tackler Robert Spillane (four games). On the offensive line, both left tackle Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson missed time as well.
Those aren’t just depth pieces-those are foundational players. And yet, the Patriots kept winning.
Injuries are part of the deal in the NFL. So is the schedule.
You don’t get to reshuffle either. Once the trade deadline passes in Week 9, you ride with who you’ve got.
And what the Patriots have is a team that’s found its identity, leaned into its strengths, and stayed resilient through the grind of a long season.
Now, two wins away from hoisting their seventh Lombardi Trophy, the Patriots are in position to silence the doubters once and for all. But even if they don’t win it all, reaching the AFC title game in Vrabel’s first year and with a rookie quarterback at the helm is a massive statement. This isn’t just a flash-in-the-pan run-it’s the foundation of something sustainable.
New England’s climb back to relevance has been methodical, not flashy. But that’s often how contenders are built. And if they keep playing like this, the rest of the league may have to get used to seeing the Patriots back in the spotlight-for a long time to come.