For the entirety of the last five years, the NFL has loved the fact that the New England Patriots fell from their dominance and became a laughingstock of the league after two decades of it. So, once it looked like they might have found a new franchise quarterback during the 2024 season, concerns about their rise from the dead began to become a big talking point.
It's only heightened this season and will surely pick up as they head into their bye week, after an impressive performance against the Giants on Monday Night Football. Not only did they extend their win streak to 10 games, but they are the first team to reach 11 wins this season, and they've accomplished that with a well-rounded roster.
That was on full display against the Giants this week, making for a rough trip back to New York for their opponents. From a 94-yard punt return touchdown by Marcus Jones and an impeccable game by Christian Gonzalez to Drake Maye closing the gap in the MVP race, it was another great showing from the Mike Vrabel-led team.
It's finally starting to catch on across the league, especially when everyone is watching the Patriots play in primetime, and ESPN commentator Joe Buck couldn't have summed it up any better after the win.
Joe Buck just said what Patriots' opponents have been thinking during the 2025 season
While discussing the aftermath of the game, Buck made one statement on the Patriots that perfectly describes their performance on Monday night.
"They are not fun to play against .. I just think in all three phases, this was a dominant performance."
It was exactly the kind of performance New England was known for throughout their dynasty years. There is plenty they need to improve upon, of course, but playing hard through all phases of the game is what Bill Belichick hammered hard into the team during their most successful years.
Clearly, that's working with Vrabel, too, as their performances have only gotten better as the season has progressed. They'll now have their bye week and get some time to rest, but will need to return to work motivated to keep their season going in the direction they're hoping for by addressing some of their biggest weaknesses ahead of some more tough matchups left on the schedule.
Based on what we've seen so far, they are a team completely capable of making those improvements. They'll just have to prove they can still do it down the stretch. That should put some fear in their remaining opponents, as the playoffs become more of a sure thing.