Perhaps more than any other major sports league, the NFL has been largely defined by parity. The New England Patriots might be reaping the rewards of this reality following the Buffalo Bills' 24-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.
The Patriots are 4-2 on the season, and now own the top spot in the AFC East for the first time since 2021. They defeated the Bills 23-20 in Week 5, and their 25-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 6 ensured that they would remain in the driver’s seat by the conclusion of the weekend.
New England quarterback Drake Maye was particularly impressive against New Orleans. The 23-year-old completed 18 of 26 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns. The young signal caller has helped the team win three straight contests as they have matched their win total from last season.
“Let’s go get win No. 5,” Maye told The Athletic. “Last year is in the past.”
Despite their recent stretch of success, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel understands that there is still room for improvement. The team’s offense has been criticized for being one-dimensional, and it is not known if Maye will continue to make up for the unit’s lack of a proper run game.
“We will never not enjoy and embrace winning in this league, but I do think guys are aware of the fact that it can be better,” Vrabel told the Associated Press. “To do that on the road and be able to end it with the ball offensively in victory formation is fun.”
The first-place Patriots will take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 7, and will play the Buffalo Bills at home when Week 15 arrives.
