Sunday's victory changes entire outlook of the season for the Patriots
Entering Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, with a 1-5 record, pathetic offensive production up to that point, and one of the hardest remaining schedules in the NFL, the New England Patriots' season seemed over.
Fans on social media were already directing their attention to the NFL Draft order and hoping to get a top pick for a fresh start in 2024.
But following a dominating first half of play and a game-winning drive by third-year QB Mac Jones, the Patriots pulled off an improbable 29-25 victory against their division rivals, and all of a sudden, the outlook of New England's season is completely different.
Since Jones was named the started in 2021, offensive miscues and lack of production during games have been the main reason for the team's 21 losses in that time frame.
In most of their defeats, the Patriots defense kept the game close, but the offense could never finish the game off.
Sunday's win was atypical for New England. The defense played poorly, constantly missing tackles and surrendering 15 points in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, but the team still found victory because of unexpected efficiency and production from the New England offense.
The Patriots managed 364 total yards against the Buffalo Bills, who have one of the better defensive groups in the NFL.
New England's next game — a rematch against the Miami Dolphins — will more than likely be a close one. In the first meeting between the two teams, the Dolphins managed a slim 24-17 victory, with the Patriots failing to score a touchdown on their final drive that would have sent the game into overtime.
With the increased confidence and momentum from New England's offense following their most recent performance, the Patriots may be able to deal more damage to Miami than before, which would be the deciding factor in a victory.
If New England wins against Miami, then it will be just two games under .500, and the playoffs will be a much more realistic goal than it was entering Sunday.
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