Updated power rankings have Patriots make drastically unexpected move

No matter where you turned during the 2024 offseason, the unanimous take surrounding the New England Patriots chances to win games this fall was in the dirt. The swap of Bill Belichick for Jerod Mayo at head coach with an entirely new coaching staff to match, a veteran quarterback with a mostly unspectacular career, and an offense lacking an exciting receiving threat prompted analysts' belief that it was going to be another long season.

The lackluster projection was reflected in record predictions and power rankings leading up to the start of the regular season, with the Patriots continuing to be at the bottom of the league.

While that could still come true, they defied the odds and proved doubters wrong by walking out of Cincinnati in Week 1 with a definitive win over the Bengals, a team that has consistently been in the Super Bowl conversation for the last few years.

Not a single analyst predicted this result ahead of the game, especially since the last upset win happened in 2018, making New England's win even more shocking.

It was a game that had many reflecting upon the power rankings, particularly for the season. The Patriots landed at No. 30 by ESPN before the season began. They held that spot throughout the offseason, if not lower, and because they beat a powerhouse team in Week 1, they would surely jump up a few spots, right?

Fortunately, that's exactly what happened, perhaps to an even bigger degree than fans were expecting.

The Patriots big Week 1 win propels them up the power rankings list

Before the season began, the Patriots were among the few teams expected to do the absolute least despite the countless improvements made to the roster and coaching staff. Maybe it was because of the myriad of questions facing the new players and how Jerod Mayo would fare as a new head coach, but most concerns were seemingly put to rest in Cincinnati on Sunday.

They entered the season opener as the No. 30 team on ESPN's annual power rankings list, and because of their shocking win, they now hold the 24th spot heading into their Week 2 matchup with the Seahawks.

Patriots reporter Mike Reiss described how the team accomplished such a feat, noting quarterback Jacoby Brissett's growth throughout the summer and the player's perfect response to Mayo's conditioning that properly prepared them for the tough matchup.

"The first-year head coach had his team ready to play in Cincinnati after running what nine-year veteran QB Jacoby Brissett said was one of the most challenging training camps he has experienced. Mayo noted that conditioning and controlling the line of scrimmage would be deciding factors in Week 1, and the players responded with a performance that included 39 rushing attempts, two forced fumbles and one fourth-down stop.

Mayo received a Gatorade bath on the sideline courtesy of veteran DTs Davon Godchaux and Daniel Ekuale and then received a game ball from owner Robert Kraft in the locker room."

It was a far more positive way to kick off the new era in Foxboro than anyone could have predicted and could certainly become the new precedent for what the rest of the season might look like. It's clear the roster is thriving under Mayo and are determined to play hard for each other and their coach, which was reflected in their attitude on the sideline and comments to the media after the game.

If they can keep that morale going over the next 17 weeks, the Patriots could be in a much better position at the end of the year than initially believed.

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