NFL teams have entered the final phases of the preseason and are finalizing their rosters for their first games of the upcoming year. Predictions about who'll finish where abound at this time of the year. A favorite topic of pundits is which of the previous season's dregs might have done enough to leapfrog everyone else in their divisions and take the crown.
To be in the conversation, a usual prerequisite is that you have to have been the cellar-dweller of your respective division in 2024. The New England Patriots have, unfortunately, qualified for the past two seasons. That dismal state of affairs led to the brooming of two successive head coaches, including arguably the best ever, Bill Belichick.
Now, however, reason has prevailed, and the Patriots have finally got the right man in place to reverse their fortunes. That's their new Head Coach and major influencer, Mike Vrabel, and the top staff he brought along with him to handle personnel matters. Those changes have made all the difference, and national pundits are noticing.
Patriots suggested but not actually predicted to go from "worst to first"
Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon has suggested several NFL teams that may have a chance to go from worst in their divisions to the top of the heap.
"Why they can: Drake Maye made significant strides as a rookie quarterback and now has significantly more help in every facet thanks to offseason changes at the skill positions, along the offensive line and on defense. Experienced new head coach Mike Vrabel could also fire up a team with nothing to lose, and the Jets and Dolphins could have their issues.
Why they can't: The Bills. Plain and simple...
Prediction: New England could leapfrog Miami and New York if it all breaks right, but Buffalo is too tall a task..."
Gagnon has made a good case all around. He has correctly noted the major personnel additions in Foxborough, both on offense and defense. Additionally, he's acutely aware that having Mike Vrabel oversee the entire operation provides a significant boost to "fire up" his team. In Patriot Nation, it's generally referred to as a "Culture Shift". But Gagnon also cites the fly in the ointment quite correctly, the Buffalo Bills.
The Patriots still have to contend with the mighty Bills and their MVP quarterback
The AFC East for 20 years or so went through Foxborough. Either you took the title away from Tom Brady and company, or you were relegated to also-rans. Since Brady departed, however, the Bills, with their excellent coach Sean McDermott and now MVP quarterback, Josh Allen, have assumed that mantle and the role of lead dog. has been dominated by Foxborough for about 20 years
Gagnon correctly points out that all roads to the AFC East title go through Orchard Park, NY. Since Brady departed, the torch has been passed to the north, and except for a blown opportunity in 2021, the Bills have sailed to the title annually since. Regardless, some factors mitigate toward a Patriots resurgence of seismic proportions.
The team now has a dual-threat quarterback who's no longer a mismanaged rookie. He's a second-year pro, now coached by veteran winners Josh McDaniels and Mike Vrabel, and he's ready to take the next step, and there'll be no sophomore slump for Maye.
Despite a woeful supporting cast in 2024, Maye still completed 66 percent of his passes with a respectable 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while running for another 421 yards himself.
Like Allen, Maye's running threat is not to be taken lightly. He can burn opposing defenses for big yardage and easy touchdowns. The 2024 Patriots also lost six games by only one score. That's food for thought.
Along with all the other improvements cited by Brad Gagnon, it's not incomprehensible to envisage a run at the Bills by the rebuilt and resurgent Patriots under Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye. It's unlikely, but don't be shocked if it's a horse race to the finish either. This isn't your big brother's Patriots team.