On Thursday Night Football, the New England Patriots defeated the New York Jets to improve to 9-2 on the season. Although the Patriots have faced the easiest schedule in the NFL this year, they have far exceeded expectations. Coming off a disastrous 4-13 season last year in the midst of a rebuild, they entered this season with some hope for improvement thanks to a new coaching staff and minor roster upgrades. While they still lack top-tier talent along the offensive line and in their receiving corps.
Photo Cred: Boston.com
Their offense ranks in the top 10 thanks to second-year quarterback Drake Maye and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Maye showed flashes of potential as a rookie despite a weak supporting cast, but few could have predicted he would be the MVP favorite 11 games into this season. New England appears poised to keep improving as the year goes on, especially now that rookie second-round running back TreVeyon Henderson is beginning to receive more touches. He has responded with five touchdowns in the last two weeks, showcasing his explosiveness with long runs that have opened up the offense even further.
New head coach Mike Vrabel spoke highly of the rookie after the game: “I would say the best couple of runs he had were there late in the game when it was tough sledding, and we’re in five-minute, and they know we’re going to run, and they’re blitzing and everything else. Looked like we were going to be short, and he’s able to knife through there and keep his pads down and pick up a huge first down. He’s executed, whether that’s a checkdown or a touchdown in the back of the end zone.”
With the coaching staff now giving Henderson the lead role at running back, the Patriots’ ground game will make their offense even more dangerous down the stretch this season. The optimism surrounding the team is even greater when looking to the future. The Patriots have quickly exited what was expected to be a multi-year rebuild and have emerged as contenders for the AFC’s top seed.
With Maye in his second season, an improved defense under Vrabel, and McDaniels as the long-term offensive play caller, this is likely the weakest the Patriots’ roster will be for the foreseeable future. Hitting on just a few draft picks along the offensive line and at receiver could turn them into an annual powerhouse. They also do not face overwhelming competition within their own division, as the Jets and Dolphins seem destined to remain bottom feeders, and the Bills appear to have a limited ceiling due to poor coaching and defensive issues.
Photo Cred: MassLive.com
While New England may max out this season in the divisional round or AFC Championship Game, they are positioned to overtake top AFC contenders such as the Chiefs, Ravens, and Bills over the next few seasons, with ample cap space to pursue major free agents while Maye is still on his rookie deal. The AFC is on notice the Pats are back!
