It's been what feels like decades since the Patriots have been favored in games during an NFL season, so seeing that change in 2025 set the tone for what the team could accomplish under Mike Vrabel. They go into the AFC Championship with the same luck on their side, as they are currently favored by 5.5 points, despite being on the road in a hostile environment and not playing too well against the Texans last week.
Regardless, they got the job done in the snowy weather and took down one of the most dominant defenses in the league, giving them a run for their money with how their deffense wreacked havoc on CJ Stroud. They were favored in that game too, but not by much, and certainly not in the eyes of most analysts, who collectively picked Houston to face the Broncos this Sunday.
But before the game even took place, there was at least one Patriots legend who believed the winner would go on to win the Super Bowl, and maybe it was a feeling rooted in fandom, given that he played for both teams.
No matter what, the legendary Vince Wilfork has a strong feeling about the Patriots this year, and he believes they will be taking home the Lombardi trophy in Vrabel's first year as the head coach.
Vince Wilfork is backing the Patriots, as they continue the postseason run
While speaking to Karen Guregian of MassLive before the divisional round, Wilfork emphatically shared his feeling that whoever came out the victor of the Texans vs. the Patriots would go on to win the Super Bowl.
It's quite a statement, and now that the Patriots are heading to the AFCCG, the should-be NFL Hall of Famer is backing is longtime team against a very good Broncos defense to get into Super Bowl LX.
“The winner of this game, I pick as the Super Bowl winner. That’s how I look at it. I’m picking the Super Bowl winner to come from this game.”
Considering the Patriots went into the 2025 season not expected to add many more wins than in previous years and certainly not make the playoffs, it's incredible to see that they're now a Super Bowl favorite, and a legend like Wilfork feels confident with his pick.
There's a big reason for that, too, as he told Guergian before the game, unsurprisingly backing the defenses to be the difference-makers in bringing a championship home.
“I’m a big believer in defense wins championships. That’s where I stand. That’s what I believe.”
The Patriots and the Texans both put on defensive masterclasses in last week's game, which was a bit more unexpected for New England. All the talk leading into the matchup revolved around Houston's top-3 defense and how Drake Maye would manage to overcome that massive obstacle.
And while they still played a hard game, forcing turnovers and getting after Maye, the Patriots' defense stole the show more unexpectedly by snagging four interceptions and a fumble recovery, proving they might run through their defense during their postseason run.
That aligns with Wilfork's assertion that "defense wins championships," and it's looking like that might be the case for the Patriots if they get that far. Hopefully, they will, and Wilfork's prediction will come true. What a wild ending to an unexpectedly magical season that would be.