For much of the 2025 offseason, there was a strong belief that the New England Patriots' offense would be the biggest concern for the season ahead, mainly because a lot of money was spent on improving the defense in free agency. While that hasn't necessarily been the case so far, there have been defensive flaws that continue to be a problem each week and could create chaos in the games leading to the playoffs.
Although the defense has been fairly dominant, it has developed a pattern of allowing opposing offenses to march down the field on early series and scoring first, forcing the Patriots' offense to play from behind right away.
For the last nine games, it hasn't been too much of an issue, as they have won each of those matchups to go into Week 13 with a league-best 10-2 record.
However, with a few tough opponents left on the docket and playoff seeding yet to be determined, playing from behind could be the difference in winning and losing, which is not a position they'll want to be in late in the year.
The Patriots' defense needs to put a halt to one of their biggest flaws before it's too late
After allowing the Bengals' offense to score a 54-yard field goal on their opening drive, that marked the ninth time this season the Patriots' defense allowed a score on the first series by their opponent. It's a trend that no head coach or coordinator wants to see, and yet it remains the most frustrating part of the defense's identity this season.
The fortunate part is that after a rough first drive or two by the group, they seem to buckle down and become the solid force we've come to appreciate this season, although it might be a bumpy ride until they get there.
But there is a concern going into the final stretch of the season, with teams like the Bills and Ravens left on the schedule, where they won't have weaker opponents to count on if they fall behind, so something needs to change fast.
That's even more crucial with a player like Milton Williams sidelined for three more games, as he was moved to injured reserve last week. And the list of possible injuries could grow longer, after DT Khyiris Tonga left Sunday's matchup early, too.
The Patriots cannot afford to let a slow start derail their ultimate goal that nobody believed they could accomplish this season. They've already exceeded expectations with their first winning record since the 2021 season, and now they're on the precipice of winning the first seed in the AFC playoffs, so allowing a costly pattern to take that away from them would be devastating.
Whatever switch they flip on the second or third series of the game needs to happen earlier in the game, perhaps before it even begins, or they could ruin their chances of a deep playoff run that they have earned this season.