
The New England Patriots are riding high after six straight victories since their 1-2 start.
Only the Patriots and Denver Broncos have won six straight and the team can extend that streak to seven in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye spoke about how much he cherishes winning at this point in the season.
"Just trying to enjoy these wins," Maye said. "It's tough to win in this league, and from my short career in this league, I think you've just got to enjoy it when you get in the win column, enjoy getting another chance next week to face a good team on the road. I think you just enjoy the wins."
The Pats didn't play their best in their 24-23 victory against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, but they still pulled out a win, so they will take it any way it's sliced. They know these wins are crucial with the Buffalo Bills on their tail in the AFC East standings.
"It means everything to us," Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane said. "We get 17 of these opportunities guaranteed, and you don't take them lightly. Each one of these games is going to show up big later down the season in November and December. When you're looking for a win, to come out of here with a win was huge for us today."
In order for the Pats to keep their streak alive, they will face a tough test on the road against the Buccaneers, who are fresh off of their bye week. Patriots linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson explained how the team responds during games with the ups and downs and how it is translating to wins.
"Grit and just a 'next play' mentality for sure," Chaisson said after the team's Week 9 win. "Obviously, they made some plays when they had to. They have some key play makers. The receivers made some decent plays, just keeping the drive going. So, just every time we get back to the sideline, we're finding ways to get the drive stop, get off the field, and keep surviving."
It's a long game and an even longer season. Yet, the Patriots have to take things one play at a time without getting too hot or too cold.
They haven't gotten to six wins in a row all at once. It's a result of taking things little by little and executing at a high level every step of the way.
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