As the New England Patriots enter their Week 12 matchup with a 9-2 record, the doubters are rushing out to scream to the masses that they are not a credible team and will inevitably be an illegitimate threat in the playoffs.
Despite how well they have played, especially Drake Maye, they're not being taken seriously this year because of their schedule, which is casting them as "fool's gold," according to analysts like Cam Newton. He has had the harshest critiques so far, but more in the NFL world are starting to regurgitate the same talking points.
The latest of which comes from Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report, who slapped a harsh label on the Patriots in the weeks leading to the postseason. Because they're sitting at the top of the AFC alongside the Broncos, they're being discussed far more than they have over the last five years, and that unfortunately comes with scrutiny from all angles.
It has now prompted Gagnon to label them as a "pretender" team heading into the final stretch of the season.
Downplaying what the Patriots have accomplished this season continues to become a trend heading into the final stretch of 2025
While discussing every playoff contender's chances of being a competitive team in the postseason or if they're not a serious threat, Gagnon decided the Patriots should be considered "pretenders," suggesting that their easy schedule has been the main reason they have a winning record.
However, he does admit that beating the Bills and Ravens would legitimize them somewhat, but isn't very confident in that coming to fruition. Therefore, they're not a real postseason team.
"Pretender, for now. This changes if they beat the Bills and Ravens next month, but that'll be a tough task for a team that is still completing a rebuild. The Pats are a year away, but they are on the right track."
It's certainly fair to believe the Patriots won't win a Super Bowl this year, given that most analysts and fans hope they'll win more games in 2025 than they did in 2024, with the playoffs a distant dream. But because they have far exceeded all expectations, reevaluating what they can accomplish this year is warranted.
It's not wise to discredit them by pointing to their opponents as an excuse for their record, especially when the AFC East all face the same two outside divisions, besides each other, and nobody is talking about the Bills having an easy schedule.
The Patriots have beaten teams with some of the best defenses in the league, and in the most hostile environments, yet that is being overlooked. It's not easy to steal a game in Buffalo or beat the No. 1 defense in the NFL, which recorded five sacks on Maye in that game, but they're not getting credit for that.
Instead, they're considered "pretenders," and maybe it's better that way. They are a team that has historically thrived when being counted out, and this season doesn't appear to be any different.