The start of the Patriots' 2025 schedule was not expected to be tough, as they were set to face a rebuilding Raiders team, a consistently bad Dolphins team, a questionable Steelers team now led by expiring quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and the ongoing disaster of the Panthers.
They could have easily started the season 4-0, and were only a few plays away from accomplishing that, but it could also be said they were just a couple plays away from being 0-4. So the fact they ended the first month at .500 was welcomed with open arms.
It's that inconsistency that prompted many to believe they had no chance against the Bills on Sunday Night Football, even more so since they were on the road. But they went into that game on a mission, and snuck out with the win, impressing those around the league and confirming their worst nightmare might be true: the Patriots are back.
Many believed it was a statement win in many ways, not just for the players, but for the new coaching staff, too. Even NFL insider Adam Schefter hopped on the bandwagon to hype up the Patriots after the win, and followed that up with a big question they will need to answer this season.
Adam Schefter is encouraged by the Patriots after their primetime win over the Bills
During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" earlier this week, Schefter praised the Patriots for their win, but also feels this could mean they are a team capable of beating anyone, anywhere in the league right now.
"That was a big time statement by the New England Patriots last night..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 6, 2025
Drake Maye looked the part and Mike Vrabel has turned around that culture" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/9XX2DaMFxa
He almost sounds like a Patriots fan with that kind of answer.
It would probably be safer to ask anyone to slow their roll in assuming this team is equipped to beat any team in any stadium, even if they were able to get a win over the Bills in Buffalo. Some stadiums could be far more hostile than that, like maybe Kansas City, but the Patriots don't face them this year.
They still have several teams that will be tough on the schedule, with the most prominent being the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They are on a heater right now with no end in sight, so it's difficult to say that the Patriots could definitely beat them on the road.
Regardless, it's clear they made a strong impression across the league, and now there is far more optimism surrounding New England than there has been in a long time. They have fallen to the bottom of the NFL over the last five years, but it now looks like they have made the impossible possible with Mike Vrabel as the head coach, Josh McDaniels as the offensive playcaller, and Drake Maye under center.
The future looks bright, and the rest of the league is taking notice.