The New England Patriots' eight-game win streak is getting the NFL's attention. Even with all the foolishness about their strength of schedule (the NFL's deliberate creation) and any other distractions, Mike Vrabel and his unflappable second-year quarterback, Drake Maye, have taken the NFL by storm.
The Patriots are 9-2, have beaten every team they played the past eight weeks, and are now second in Fox Sports' NFL rankings.
Vrabel's reconstruction of the 4-13, 2024 roster into a playoff contender in one offseason is an anomaly. While it happens, it doesn't very often. Vrabel is not only a Super-Bowl-winning player but also a successful coach who achieved the highest award an NFL coach can receive after the 2021 season, the NFL Coach of the Year. If he keeps this current Patriots' trend up, he'll win it again.
All this has led the Patriots to begin garnering respect among national pundits, and it's well-deserved. Vrabel has taken a 2024 team, shaken out many players who were overpaid or underperforming, and built a better roster with a new identity. The 2025 Patriots under Mike Vrabel are rolling, and there's more to come.
Mike Vrabel's Patriots are a threat to the entire NFL
The Patriots' 9-2 record is tied for the best in the entire NFL, and it's getting solid recognition from many sources. Fox Sports has them second in its top 10 NFL rankings.
"#2 New England Patriots 9-2
With New England reeling off eight straight wins, it is time to include the Patriots in the contender conversation. Drake Maye & Co. have discovered their offensive identity as a ball control offense with pop, as rookie TreVeyon Henderson settles into his role as RB1. The Patriots’ efficient offensive balance enables Mike Vrabel to control the game like a puppeteer, tying together the three phases (offense, defense, special teams) to frustrate opponents while employing clever clock and game management strategies."
Fox correctly notes the renewed offensive balance since rookie running back Treveyon Henderson has emerged not only as a home-run threat but also as a consistent touchdown maker. He scored five touchdowns in the last two games. The only legitimate question is why the Patriots didn't use him more earlier in the season? That was a mistake.
A great offseason led Mike Vrabel's 2025 team to a great season
Good and great NFL teams are built in the offseason. Mike Vrabel delivered a masterpiece, deftly using both free agency and the draft to add better players to a lackluster 2024 squad. The catchword was improve. He upgraded both his offense and defense significantly, and the team is now exceeding even lofty expectations.
First, he gave Drake Maye an 80 percent remodeled offensive line. It's much better than 2024's, yet it's still surrendering too many sacks (36 in 11 games), and the run-blocking is suspect. Vrabel needs to fix that if he's looking for a deep playoff run.
He also upgraded his wide receiver room, adding four new faces in Stefon Diggs, a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, super-clutch Mack Hollins, and rookies Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III, though neither rookie has been given many snaps.
On defense, Vrabel added better players at each level. He added two new edge starters in Harold Landry III and K'Lavon Chaisson. Both have been solid. And the best of the additions have been defensive tackles Milton Williams (now on the shelf for a month) and Khyiris Tonga, a better version of the traded Davon Godchaux.
He also signed linebackers Robert Spillane, Jack Gibbens, and cornerback Carlton Davis III, and drafted rookie safety Craig Woodson. All are upgrades over 2024.
Being ranked in the top 10 now is a solid achievement, but there are six more games left to play in the regular season. The only ranking that really matters is after the 17th game when the playoff seeds are determined. Vrabel's and the team's goal is to win out and try to land the top seed in the AFC and a bye week or, at a minimum, secure a home playoff game by winning the AFC East.
This Patriots team still has a lot of room to improve, and none of those goals and more is beyond their reach.