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[New England Patriots]

Patriots vs. Bills: Live updates, score, news, game details, open thread

The New England Patriots kick off a stretch of three straight road games with a primetime matchup against the Buffalo Bills Sunday night.

Coming off a dominant 42-13 victory, a matchup against the reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen and the Super Bowl hopeful Bills will provide a strong measuring stick for Mike Vrabel’s squad that looks to get over .500 for the first time this season.

Follow along with us live down below throughout Sunday night’s contest.

Live score: Patriots 0 : 0 Bills​

Sunday, Oct. 5, 8:20 p.m. ET | Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY | Broadcast information | Inactives | Game day roster

First Quarter​

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...pdates-news-game-details-recap-nfl-week-5-snf

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots vs. Bills game day roster: Starting O-line is back together

The New England Patriots offensive line played its best game of the season last Sunday against Carolina, but it will not look the same on Sunday night versus the Buffalo Bills. That is by design: the team, after all, will have starting left guard Jared Wilson available again for Week 5.

Wilson, a third-round draft pick in April, had to sit out last week’s contest due to ankle and knee injuries. The Patriots subsequently inserted Ben Brown into his spot, but the veteran is headed back to the bench again. This means that for the fourth time this season, New England will go with Will Campbell, Wilson, Garrett Bradbury, Mike Onwenu and Morgan Moses as its starting five up front.

The Patriots’ full game day roster for Sunday’s game looks as follows:

Patriots game day roster: Week 5 vs. Bills​

Quarterback (2): Drake Maye (10), Joshua Dobbs (11)

Running back (4): Rhamondre Stevenson (38), TreVeyon Henderson (32 | KR), Antonio Gibson (4 | KR), Jack Westover (37 | FB/TE)

Wide receiver (5): Kayshon Boutte (9), Stefon Diggs (8), Mack Hollins (13), DeMario Douglas (3), Kyle Williams (18)

Tight end (2): Hunter Henry (85), Austin Hooper (81)

Offensive tackle (4): Will Campbell (66 | LT), Morgan Moses (76 | RT), Marcus Bryant (52), Vederian Lowe (59)

Interior offensive line (4): Jared Wilson (58 | LG), Garrett Bradbury (65 | C), Mike Onwenu (71 | RG), Ben Brown (77)

Interior defensive line (5): Christian Barmore (90), Milton Williams (97), Khyiris Tonga (95), Joshua Farmer (92), Cory Durden (94)

Defensive edge (3): Harold Landry III (2), Keion White (99), Anfernee Jennings (33), Elijah Ponder (91)

Linebacker (5): Robert Spillane (14), Jahlani Tavai (48), Christian Elliss (53), Jack Gibbens (51), Marte Mapu (15)

Cornerback (5): Christian Gonzalez (0), Carlton Davis III (7), Marcus Jones (25 | PR), Alex Austin (28), Charles Woods (22)

Safety (5): Jaylinn Hawkins (21), Craig Woodson (31), Kyle Dugger (23), Dell Pettus (24), Brenden Schooler (41)

Specialists (3): Andy Borregales (36 | K), Bryce Baringer (17 | P/H), Julian Ashby (47 | LS)

The Patriots, for the first time all season, elected not to elevate any players from their practice squad to the game day roster. Last week, they moved up offensive lineman Brendan Jaimes and linebacker Darius Harris, with the latter ending up playing 57% of special teams snaps and seeing action on all four units.

The trickle-down effect of linebacker Jahlani Tavai making his season debut likely prevented Harris from returning to the game day squad and resuming his role. The expectation therefore is that either Tavai himself or one of the other linebackers — keep an eye on Christian Elliss — will see increased action in the kicking game.

Patriots reserves​

Inactives (5): QB Tommy DeVito (16 | emergency QB), WR Efton Chism III (86), OL Caedan Wallace (70), DT Eric Gregory (55)

Practice squad (16): RB Terrell Jennings (26), WR John Jiles (83), WR Jeremiah Webb (29), TE C.J. Dippre (82), TE Gee Scott Jr. (80), OL Sebastian Gutierrez (72), OL Andrew Rupcich (67), OL Brenden Jaimes (61), OL Royce Newman (74), DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr. (98), ED Truman Jones (54), ED Bradyn Swinson (43), LB Darius Harris (42), CB Miles Battle (35), CB Kobee Minor (19), CB Tyron Herring (39)

Practice squad exempt (1): DT David Olajiga (96 | IPPP)

Reserve/injured (8): FB Brock Lampe, OT Yasir Durant, CB Marcellas Dial Jr., DT Jaquelin Roy, RB Lan Larison, RB Deneric Prince, DT Isaiah Iton, G Layden Robinson

Reserve/retired (1): OL Wes Schweitzer

Another week, another healthy scratch for Efton Chism. While the Patriots are pleased with his process, the entire receiving corps at wide receiver and tight end being healthy means that the undrafted rookie remains an emergency backup option for now.

The Patriots’ Week 5 game against the Bills will be kicked off at 8:20 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...814/patriots-bills-game-day-roster-nfl-week-5

 

[New England Patriots]

The good, the bad, and the s—t that gets you beat from Patriots’ win over Bills

Ahead of this year’s training camp, New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel explained that he was looking at his team’s performances in three categories. There is the good, the bad, and, as he called it, the s—t that gets you beat.

Against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night, there was a lot more good than bad. Otherwise, Vrabel’s team would not have been able to celebrate a 23-20 upset of the unbeaten 8.5-point favorites on the road. Still, if the coach wants to look at the Patriots like that, who are we to disagree? So, let’s break down the Week 5 game in exactly that manner.

The good: Defensive resilience​

We could mention Drake Maye here. Or Stefon Diggs. Or Andy Borregales.

However, while they were all instrumental in the Patriots’ win over the Bills, the defense also deserves a major shoutout for its performance against arguably the most well-rounded offense in the NFL. Buffalo entered Week 5 having ranked second in scoring (33.3 points/game) and yards (404.0), and first in giveaways (1) and expected points added both per dropback (0.357) and per run (0.091).

While Josh Allen and company performing below expectation played a part in it, the Patriots defense also contributed to the Bills not matching their season averages in any of those categories. When all was said and done, the Bills scored just 22 points on a 363-yard outing, turned the ball over three times, and finished with an EPA per dropback of 0.21 and an EPA per run of only -0.36.

The tone was set from early on. Joshua Farmer recovered a fumble to end the Bills’ first possession, Robert Spillane and Jaylinn Hawkins teamed up to end their third in the same fashion. In addition, Marcus Jones registered an interception at the New England 19-yard line, while Christian Gonzalez broke up a third down pass that forced the Bills to go for the tie rather than a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

New England was not perfect by any means, and the Bills found themselves in scoring position more often than their final points tally would indicate. However, either through fault of their own or the Patriots rising up to the occasion, they only managed two touchdowns and two field goals on the day.

The Patriots defense had to run head-first into a blizzard on Sunday night. It weathered they storm.

The bad: Antonio Gibson’s injury​

Even though he had been on the field for only 52 offensive snaps and 21 on special teams this season before going down with a knee injury in the second quarter on Sunday, Antonio Gibson was a valuable member of the Patriots offense. He was their next man up at running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson, and again entered the top lineup versus Buffalo after yet another lost fumble by the starter (his third on the year).

However, his future looks uncertain after what looked like a serious knee injury. Gibson gingerly walked off the field and after a brief stint in the blue medical tent left for the locker room; he was ruled out almost instantaneously, which is never a good sign.

Considering Stevenson’s ongoing problems holding onto the ball, and rookie TreVeyon Henderson still being quite raw around the edges, losing the veteran for any extended period of time would be a concern. And that’s not even touching on his contributions in the return game: Gibson is ranked fifth in the NFL among qualifying kickoff returners with an average of 28.5 yards per runback, and the only player so far to run a kickoff back for a touchdown.

If the injury is indeed as significant as it appeared to be, he will be missed.

The s—t that gets you beat: Mental errors​

When we’re speaking of mental errors here, we are speaking primarily of one thing: unnecessary penalties, of which there were several against the Bills. The total tally looked like this: 10 penalties, of which eight were enforced for a loss of 93 yards (compared to Buffalo’s 15-11-90 line).

The volume was one thing, another was the nature and timing of some of those penalties particularly in the fourth quarter. After going up 20-10, the Patriots gave Josh Allen and the Bills offense 30 free yards on back-to-back plays when backup defensive tackles Cory Durden and Joshua Farmer were flagged for roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness, respectively; that drive might have ended in a Bills touchdown anyway, but New England sure made life easier for its opponent.

The same was true later in the period, when Vederian Lowe was flagged for a false start on 3rd-and-1. Instead of an opportunity to drain some clock, New England moved back five yards and after a scramble resulting in a loss of 2 yards was forced to punt.

In the end, those miscues did not end up costing the team. However, they put additional pressure on the Patriots and are something that needs to be cleaned up — especially given that all three of the culprits are role players who only take the field for limited snaps each game.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...10962/patriots-bills-good-bad-ugly-nfl-week-5

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots rooting guide, open thread, and more for NFL Week 5

The New England Patriots will return to primetime this week, taking on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football.

Naturally, that game is our main focus this week. Of course, there is plenty of other football on the menu as well, so here is who to root for and how to watch the 13 other games scheduled between Thursday and Monday.

Monday​

8:15 p.m. ET​

Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars: Go Jaguars! There are several reasons to root for the home team in this one, including the Patriots owning two Chiefs draft picks in 2026. Kansas City missing the playoffs would be the best-case outcome from that perspective, and while that is still quite unlikely every game might end up making the difference. | ESPN/ABC

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The following games finished earlier in the week.

Thursday​

8:15 p.m. ET​

San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams: Go Niners! There is no true football reason to root for San Francisco in this one, but there is a sentimental one. Go get ‘em, Mac Jones! | SF 26, LA 23

Sunday​

9:30 a.m. ET​

Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns: Go Vikings! A classic case of AFC versus NFC. Unless there is reason to go in a different direction, we’ll keep picking the NFC side every day of the week. | MIN 31, CLV 17

1 p.m. ET​

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens: Go Texans! From a rooting perspective, this is a challenging one given that both teams are 1-3. There is a case to be made for Baltimore due to the Patriots’ strength of schedule tiebreaker, but ultimately the Ravens’ ceiling seems a lot higher than the Texans’ and they might just end up battling New England for a playoff spot when all is said and done. | HST 44, BLT 10

Miami Dolphins at Carolina Panthers: Go Panthers! The Patriots already beat both teams, so the game has no impact on any strength of schedule or victory tiebreakers. This means, we’ll fall back to the old NFC over AFC. | MIA 24, CAR 27

Las Vegas Raiders at Indianapolis Colts: Go Raiders! This may seem counterintuitive given that the Raiders hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Patriots. However, they have lost three straight since and are not exactly looking like a team that might compete for a playoff spot. And so, Indianapolis suffering a loss to fall to 3-2 might end up the better result for New England. | LV 6 IND 40

New York Giants at New Orleans Saints: Go Giants! The Patriots will play both teams later in the year, so the deciding factor is the 2026 draft: New England owns a Saints seventh-rounder that would be better placed the more games the currently 0-4 Saints end up losing. | NYG 14, NO 26

Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets: Go Cowboys! It’s AFC versus NFC, plus: it’s the Jets. Strength of schedule be damned for this one. | DAL 37, NYJ 22

Denver Broncos at Philadelphia Eagles: Go Eagles! Again, NFC over AFC. | DEN 21, PHI 17

4:05 p.m. ET​

Tennessee Titans at Arizona Cardinals: Go Cardinals! Usually, we would go with the NFC team in this one but the Titans are so bad them becoming a threat to earn a playoff spot would be a shocker. So, we root for them to win their first game and improve the Patriots’ strength of schedule tiebreaker. | TEN 22, ARZ 21

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks: Go Bucs! Speaking of strength of schedule, guess which of those two NFC teams will play the Patriots later this year. | TB 38, SEA 35

4:25 p.m. ET​

Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals: Go Bengals! Even though they are 2-2, Cincinnati without Joe Burrow is looking rough, and so we’re going with the schedule tiebreaker over actually rooting against the AFC side in this one. | DET 37, CIN 24

Washington Commanders at Los Angeles Chargers: Go Commanders! Finally, we’re back to the classic NFC over AFC. | WAS 27, LAC 10

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Now it’s your turn. Who are you rooting for this week? And what do you think about the games as they unfold? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts and discuss.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...patriots-rooting-guide-open-thread-nfl-week-5

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots power rankings Week 6: Pats catapult up after epic Bills upset

Sunday’s epic upset thriller in Buffalo became an instant classic. The undefeated Bills, wearing their spanking new Rivalry white ‘Cold Front’ uniforms, hosted New England for the final time at their old Highmark Stadium. Fans dressed to create a ‘white-out’ vibe, but the outfits weren’t enough. The Patriots prevailed 23-20, in a gritty, turnover-fueled nail-biter that snapped Buffalo’s perfect record and sent New England soaring from rebuilding mediocrity straight into the playoff conversation.

The win was far from flawless, especially early on, but the victory belonged to the whole team. The difference on Sunday was how they battled back. The defense was solid, and Drake Maye put together a game-winning drive to set up rookie Andy Borregales for a last-second 52-yard field goal. Stefon Diggs described it as “electrifying” and I agree.

What happens next? The Patriots travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints. The league already decided this matchup wasn’t worth a late afternoon time slot and flexed it back to 1:00 pm. The Saints 1-4 record should not be overlooked however, just as the Bills’ 4-0 record didn’t matter. If Mike Vrabel keeps his team motivated to face an opponent with only one win — and without the Bills division-rival energy — the Patriots will be fine. The Pats are favored by 3.5 points and I believe they will beat the Saints and improve to 4-2.

GO PATS!!

*********************************************************************************************

Around the AFC East:

Buffalo Bills (4-1) at Atlanta Falcons (2-2)

New England Patriots (3-2) at New Orleans Saints (1-4)

Miami Dolphins (1-4) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)

New York Jets (0-5) vs. Denver Broncos (3-2)

AFC Matchups:

Indianapolis Colts (4-1) vs. Arizona Cardinals (2-3)

Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) vs. Cleveland Browns (1-4)

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) vs. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)

Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) at Green Bay Packers (2-1-1)

Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) vs. Detroit Lions (4-1)

Houston Texans (2-3) – Bye

Baltimore Ravens (1-4) vs. Los Angeles Rams (3-2)

Tennessee Titans (1-4) at Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)

*********************************************************************************************

13th – Pete Prisco (CBS Sports): Mike Vrabel has instilled a toughness on the defense and Drake Maye has arrived. They will be a tough battle every week and could push the Bills in the division. [+5]

14th – Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk): Coupled with North Carolina getting blown out (again), it was the franchise’s best weekend since winning Super Bowl LIII. [+9]

15th – Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): The Patriots’ coming out party under Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels happened with Drake Maye, Stefon Diggs, the running game and defense coming through to make things interesting with the Bills in the AFC East again. [+6]

15th – Nate Davis (USA Today): Their next three opponents have a combined three wins. Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye seem on the cusp of resurrecting this franchise from its recent dormancy. [+7]

16th – Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports): Drake Maye had been playing quite well, and after Sunday’s performance in the upset over the Bills, everyone will start talking about him. That was his breakout game. The question is whether that win was a sign the Patriots might give a real scare to the Bills in the AFC East. [+5]

17th – NFL Nation (ESPN): Fantasy surprise: WR Stefon Diggs. Diggs became the first Patriots receiver to record consecutive 100-yard games since Julian Edelman in 2019, showing that he can still get down the field and make explosive plays — despite being ranked 41st in preseason fantasy rankings. Diggs has 16 catches for 247 yards and 40.7 fantasy points over the past two weeks. One of the knocks on him was that his yards after catch have decreased in recent seasons, but he has 131 so far in 2025. — Mike Reiss. [+4]

17th – Diante Lee (The Ringer): Drake Maye has arrived as a top-10 quarterback. Maye made quite the statement in his first prime-time game, out-dueling reigning MVP Josh Allen and leading a game-winning drive in the last two minutes on Sunday night. Maye’s arm talent and athletic traits are special, and there aren’t strong enough superlatives to describe how much heavy lifting he’s been doing for the Patriots offense. That said, I don’t think that Sunday’s performance was close to his best this year, and that speaks to how excellent he’s been. Maye is a game changer, and the AFC is officially on notice. [+5]

17th – Conor Orr (SI): It’s going to be difficult to properly contextualize what Sunday night’s win over the Buffalo Bills meant for Mike Vrabel and the rebuilding process. We left in awe of Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez—and we hoped that Stefon Diggs continues to bring this kind of juice against teams he didn’t formerly play for. [+7]

17th – Ralph Vacchiano (FOX Sports): They deserve a huge jump because beating a Super Bowl favorite on the road in prime time isn’t easy. And the way quarterback Drake Maye and their defense played in Buffalo, they could make things tough for the Bills in the AFC East. [+7]

18th – Eric Edholm (NFL.com): The Patriots’ win over the Bills was Mike Vrabel’s clarion-call victory and the biggest one in New England in quite some time. The Pats went to Buffalo and dictated the style of play, even with an ugly beginning. Drake Maye overcame some first-half jitters and shaky pocket awareness to deliver an impressive second half, outdueling Josh Allen in the fourth quarter. Stefon Diggs delivered his dose of revenge, with more catches and yards than the next three busiest Patriots pass catchers. It was a heck of a game plan by the Patriots’ semi-maligned defense, too, and New England got a clutch kick from rookie Andy Borregales. The Pats’ next three games are against teams with one win apiece. [+5]

AVG RANK: 15.9 [+6.0]

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...eek-6-pats-catapult-up-after-epic-bills-upset

 

[New England Patriots]

#PostPulpit Mailbag: Submit your questions for this week

Mike Vrabel, Drake Maye, and the New England Patriots got their signature win with a primetime upset over the Buffalo Bills. With the Patriots seemingly announcing to the rest of the league they are to be taken for real, they get set to head down to New Orleans for what could be a classic trap game.

So, submit any Patriots questions — or whatever else is on your mind — down in the comments below or on Twitter using #PostPulpit.

Stay tuned for Friday’s updated mailbag.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...t-mailbag-submit-your-questions-for-this-week

 

[New England Patriots]

Pats Pulpit Reacts: Is Drake Maye a top-10 QB already?

Playing in front of a primetime audience for the first time in his career, the New England Patriots’ 23-20 upset win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night was a coming-out party for quarterback Drake Maye. While the numbers may not show it — 22-for-30 for 273 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions — the second-year passer made some standout plays and looked every part the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be.

Did he also look like a top-10 quarterback in the NFL right now? So far this season, there is a case he just might be. He is ranked second in the league in completion percentage (73.9), fifth in yards (1,261) and yards per attempt (8.2), and sixth in expected points added per play (0.288), and has the Patriots offense trending in the right direction after some rough years.

What do you believe, though? Please make sure to participate in this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, and to hit the comment section below to talk about your answer and more.

Please sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...-survey-question-nfl-week-6-saints-drake-maye

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots links 10/09/25 – Secret sauce: Diggs + Gonzalez

TEAM TALK

• Patriots-Saints initial Injury Report.
• Evan Lazar’s Patriots Gameplan: 3 Keys to Victory in Sunday’s Week 6 Matchup vs. the Saints in New Orleans. “To really turn the corner as a football team, the Patriots can’t let their guard down in NOLA.”
• Broadcast Info: How to watch/listen to Patriots at Saints.
• Transcript: Mike Vrabel (Plus 13 min. video)
• Press Conferences: Drake Maye – Stefon Diggs, Christian Gonzalez, Jaylinn Hawkins, and Terrell Jennings.
• Highlights: Patriots equipment staff packs pants trunk for Sunday’s Saints game. (1 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered: Saints preview, Vrabel presser reaction, Locker room/team updates. (2 hours)
• Patriots Catch-22: Evan Lazar and Alex Barth talk Week 5 3 up/down vs. Bills, Maye-Diggs connection, the running back room; More. (1 hr, 45 min.)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mark Daniels says it’s a positive that the offense is finally scoring points in 2025, but points to the run game as a glaring weakness that is holding them back.
• Andrew Callahan explains how the Drake Maye-Stefon Diggs connection has raised the Patriots’ ceiling.
• Karen Guregian writes, if vintage Stefon Diggs continues to show up for the Patriots, watch out.
• Mark Daniels explains how Patriots’ Stefon Diggs and Christian Gonzalez are helping each other succeed.
• Phil Perry spotlights one Stefon Diggs play from Week 5 that shows how Mike Vrabel’s philosophy is taking hold.
• Jake Seymour highlights Mike Vrabel sharing an interesting insight about his team’s penalty problem.
• Doug Kyed relays Drake Maye who credits his unsung hero teammates for a lower turnover rate.
• Karen Guregian reports LB Jahlani Tavai says he’s glad to finally chip in.
• Mike D’Abate reports New England listed nine players on their first injury report of the week; LB K’Lavon Chaisson returns; S Jaylinn Hawkins (Hamstring) and DE Keion White (Elbow) did not participate.
• Phil Perry notes RB Terrell Jennings could be the next man up in the backfield, and he’s staying ready.
• Doug Kyed examines how the Patriots rookies are performing past the quarter point in the 2025 season: What a difference a year makes.
• Mark Morse cleans out the the Week 5 Patriots notebook: This from Greg Bedard: “Maye should have been sacked for a 10-yard loss on the first play of the final drive, which likely would have led to a punt and a Bills win. Instead, he shrugged off 320-pound DaQuan Jones and completed a 12-yard pass. That’s a superhuman play. There’s like a half-dozen QBs in the league that could pull that off.” More.
• Phil Perry‘s Patriots Mailbag: Biggest surprises, McDaniels’ impact on Maye and more.
• Alex Barth tells us the Patriots will debut a brand new uniform combination against the Saints. Not only is it the first time they’re wearing their white jerseys this season, it’s the first time ever they’ll wear white pants with their current primary uniform set, home or road.
• Jake Seymour checks in with some former Pats to see how they did with their new teams in Week 5.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) NFL Mailbag: Why Joe Flacco is a game-changer for the Bengals; Plus, Deshaun Watson’s future in Cleveland and the NFL, and what’s happening in Miami with the coach, GM and QB.
• Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) NFL quarter season team grades: Only a few teams look like Super Bowl contenders. Patriots: “… It wasn’t a perfect start to the season, but Drake Maye looks like the real deal and the Patriots appear to be a playoff contender.” Grade B.
• Dan Graziano (ESPN) Ranking all eight divisions. AFC East 7th. “… It was close between these final two divisions, though having watched the Jets in person Sunday, it was pretty hard not to rank the AFC East dead last.” /Lol.
• Matt Verderame (SI) NFL Quarterback Rankings. No. 10 Drake Maye. /Click for commentary.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) Week 6 QB Power Rankings. No. 11 Drake Maye. /Click for commentary.
• Steven Ruiz (The Ringer) Updated QB rankings. No. 11 Drake Maye. /Click for commentary.
• Bill Barnwell (ESPN) 2025 NFL rookie running back reports. TreVeyon Henderson included last.
• Maurice Jones-Drew (NFL.com) Prediction: Which four of this season’s seven 3-2 teams will make the playoffs. Broncos, Chargers, Rams, Commanders. No Pats.
• Gilberto Manzano (SI) Ranking the top five candidates for NFL MVP. No Pats.
• Karl Rasmussen (SI) NFL teams that already need to begin preparing for 2026 draft. No Pats.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...ts-links-10-09-25-secret-sauce-diggs-gonzalez

 

[New England Patriots]

#PostPulpit Mailbag: Where are the biggest areas for improvement after 5 games?

The New England Patriots are trending upwards after a big primetime victory over the Buffalo Bills last Sunday night. Now, they’ll look to put together their first three game win streak since 2022 on the road in New Orleans.

So before kickoff, let’s get right into this week’s #PostPulpit Mailbag.

To contrast the positive vibes, can you names 3 areas of biggest concern or improvement you might like to see? – Sportzballer

While things are definitely heading in a positive direction, it’s certainly not perfect. So good question. Here’s my three biggest concerns entering Week 6:

Run game: It’s been impressive that the Patriots offense has looked as well as it has with a run game that ranks near the bottom of the league. The best thing they’ve done well is not go backwards — which has helped them stay away from being behind the sticks and keeping defenses honest on play-action. But as Vrabel said this week, they need more double-digit yard runs. The struggles feel like a combination of the offensive line and running backs — who rank dead last in yards after contact and avoided tackle rate — so they’ll need better all around.

Covering tight ends: A problem that dates back to training camp has expectedly plagued New England to start the regular season. As seen from Dalton Kincaid’s first 100-yard gain last Sunday night, the Patriots have struggled against opposing tight ends. Jaylinn Hawkins and Craig Woodson’s strength are not man coverage, so the wonder is if they look to deploy Marte Mapu or Alex Austin in a tight end-stopper role in passing situations.

Red zone defense: Mike Vrabel also noted this area needs to improve this week as the Patriots have allowed touchdowns on 75 percent of opponents drives that reach the red zone (9-for-12). Four of those scores — including two against Buffalo — have also involved motion.

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Seems like almost every kickoff goes to the Gibson-Stevenson side. I was thinking that if they want teams to kick to Henderson, why not put Jones on the other side? Pick your poison. Why is Jones not considered a kick returner? Is it purely workload control or is is something more? Blocking? – ed.liebfried

How might the Patriots fill the open kick return slot with Gibson out for the year? They had Mondre back in Buffalo, and as fun as it was to watch Blount return kicks in 2013, I don’t think that strategy is sustainable this season. Maybe Webb or Chism off the PS? – Matt Monitto

New England prefers a larger body handling kickoff returns due to the contact and collisions that occur on the play. That is why they have opted more toward running backs like Antonio Gibson instead of speedsters like Marcus Jones or DeMario Douglas. As they control Jones’ workload in that area, the team would use him as a kick returner in an end-of-game situation if they needed a big play.

When it comes to filling in for Gibson, my best bet this week would just be running back Terrell Jennings, who handled those duties in two games his rookie season. I get the appeal with Chism or Webb, who broke a 50-plus yard return in the preseason, but finding a spot on the game day roster could be a challenge with injuries and activations needed elsewhere.

Special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer did leave the door open for someone with “dynamic ability” which potentially leaves wide receiver Kyle Williams as an option as the rookie repped with the returners this summer. But, we’ll lean with them sticking with a running back body type and that being Jennings for now.

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Any more info on the severity of Lan Larison’s foot injury? Seems like he missed a perfect opportunity to step up in Gibson’s absence. – NewEnglandWhalers

Would be a good opportunity for him. Larison was around rehabbing at the start of the season but have not heard any updates since. Hopefully he’ll remain on track for the offseason program.

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Why is Rhamondre Stevenson still on this team? He has proven multiple times that he is not a reliable player. He is a fumbling machine. Danny Woodhead right now (retired, out of shape, sitting on the couch) is an upgrade over this bum. – Sweaty-Man-Boobs

I do wonder where the line is with Rhamondre Stevenson and the fumbles. But, he brings plenty of value as a player. We’ll just let Josh McDaniels explain this one:

“Mondre does a lot of great things that help our team and a lot of things that people don’t necessarily talk about. We want everybody to protect the ball — nobody will not say that. But there’s a lot of things that he does. He picks up blitzes, chips the defensive ends a whole lot, is where he’s supposed to be in the passing game, is really dependable in a lot of areas for us, and does a lot of things, plays a lot of roles, and he’s a great teammate.

“It’s our job to continue to work with all our players. We all make mistakes. We’re all human, and all of us do things that we wish we didn’t do — and nobody wants to do better than he does. So to continue to have faith in him, I think that’s really important. We trust all our guys that are out there. We believe in them, and yeah, I love the kid.”

---

I’m seeing trade rumors that Alvin Kamara might be available from the soon to be 1-5 Saints. Should the Pats hold a seat for him on AirKraft this Sunday for the flight back to Foxborough? – coolbeanz

Seems like they’ll go with Terrell Jennings for now, but do wonder if they’ll make a move at the position moving forward. Don’t think that would be a player to the level of Kamara — or a Vrabel – Derrick Henry reunion — but the Saints veteran has seen his workload reduce with K’Andre Miller playing well.

One potential trade target who caught my attention in research: Browns running back Jerome Ford. Cleveland drafted both Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson as Ford enters the last year of his deal. The back also has experience as a returner while Vrabel spent last season with the Browns as well.

---

Will the euphoria of Sunday night’s victory cause a let down against what are perceived as weak opponents the next two weeks? – Ricky Hot Pants

An emotional win in primetime followed by another road trip to face off against a 1-4 team? That might as well be the definition of a trap game. But, the messaging from Mike Vrabel and players around the building has been to flush last week and move on — one that appears to be reaching the players.

---

Do the Patriots have a good chance at finishing the season 13-4? – mathblaster97

You can see the path as they have the easiest strength of schedule in football remaining. But, this is still a young team with plenty of new faces, so an occasional hiccup or dud can not be ruled out. Even with these next two games, winning three straight on the road is quite the challenge despite the level of opponent.

---

*on 3rd & inches, 4th quarter, 6:26 to play…Vederian Lowe is called for a false start…at Left Tackle. Of course, I’m thinking, Where’s Campbell? Took me a couple watches to find him. He was at Right Tackle. Why?

Have there been other instances/packages where they’ve played Campbell at RT? Does Maye prefer to run right and Campbell gives a better mobile push than Moses? – PatsHowYouDoIt

New England has used that unbalanced look sparingly this season — including two run plays against the Steelers back in Week 3 where each run went away from Campbell to the left. Just providing different looks to make defenses think with perhaps a wrinkle coming in the future.

---

Is the Bills’ pass rush that good? Looked like a jailbreak throughout the game. – c. lassiter

Gregory Rousseau is a good player while Joey Bosa has enjoyed a bounce-back season with 17 pressures through four games entering last Sunday night. But, most of Buffalo’s pressure came in the second half when they dialed up more blitzes (eight total in the game) on Drake Maye.

---

Which #1 pick QB will the Jets ruin when they draft him in 2026? – luckyfukikentucky

I’ve been a fan of Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) while Dante Moore (Oregon) has also been impressive to start the year (who will square off against each other this weekend). But the easy answer here is Drew Allar. Another Penn State quarterback for the Jets?

That’s all for this week’s #PostPulpit mailbag. If you have questions you’d liked to be answered next week, submit them online in our weekly submission post or on Twitter using #PostPulpit. Make sure to be following @iambrianhines and @PatsPulpit as well.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...ilbag-nfl-week-6-saintss-improvement-concerns

 

[New England Patriots]

How to make sure Pats Pulpit shows up in your Google search

As many of you are likely aware, Google searches are … different these days.

Chances are that you will end up with a less-than-accurate AI summary or get some search results that are not remotely helpful. Needless to say, relying on the biggest search engine on the internet can be a hassle these days — for you, and for us as well.

The good news is Google is offering a solution for folks who like to get their news from specific sources. If you want to help Pats Pulpit — while also streamlining all your Google searches — there is now a way.

Simply click on this link and add Pats Pulpit as one of your “Source preferences.” That’s all there is to it!

Back in August, the tech giant debuted a feature called “Preferred Sources.” It’s a way for Google to prominently feature the results from websites you trust, like Pats Pulpit:

“With the launch of Preferred Sources in the U.S. and India, you can select your favorite sources and stay up to date on the latest content from the sites you follow and subscribe to — whether that’s your favorite sports blog or a local news outlet. …

“When you select your preferred sources, you’ll start to see more of their articles prominently displayed within Top Stories, when those sources have published fresh and relevant content for your search.”

As some of you might know, AI searches are hurting outlets around the world and in all spaces. We’ve worked hard at Pats Pulpit to build a brand you can trust and rely on for New England Patriots coverage. Our goal is to serve you, the fans.

If you’re a fan of our work and want to get the best New England Patriots coverage possible, this is an excellent win-win to improve your Google searches while helping Pats Pulpit out.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...preferred-sources-search-results-instructions

 

[New England Patriots]

Who has the edge between the Patriots and Saints in NFL Week 6?

The preaching out of Gillette Stadium this week has been clear as day: thou shall not underestimate the Saints.

Even though the New England Patriots are entering Week 6 off back-to-back wins, including last Sunday’s primetime takedown of the then-unbeaten Bills in Buffalo, they are making sure not to take their one-win opponent lightly. That being said, they are favorites for a reason.

Besides the difference in record, the Patriots as a whole have simply performed better than the Saints. Yes, they are coming off a win themselves — a 26-14 victory over the New York Giants — but they have yet to perform at a consistent level this year.

This is also reflected in our head-to-head comparison of the two teams.

Passing game​

Patriots pass offense vs. Saints pass defense: Five weeks into the season, Drake Maye has shown that he is not just be one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in football but also one of the most efficient. He will get a chance to build additional momentum this week against a Saints pass defense that may be ninth in yards allowed but is only 25th in EPA per play and middle-of-the-pack in several other categories such as interceptions (13th), pressure rate (15th) and net yards per attempt (19th). With Maye and a rejuvenated Stefon Diggs leading the way, New England should be able to move the ball quite well through the air on Sunday. | Edge: Patriots

Patriots pass defense vs. Saints pass offense: There is a question mark over standout cornerback Christian Gonzalez, and no denying the Patriots pass defense is better with him in the lineup. If he plays, New England would have a substantial edge over a Saints offense led by quarterback Spencer Rattler. If the second-team All-Pro is a no-show on Sunday, New Orleans is in a better situation but there is still uncertainty about the unit’s ability to string plays together and hold up against a pass rush that will be getting starter K’Lavon Chaisson back after a one-week absence. | Edge: Patriots

Running game​

Patriots rushing offense vs. Saints run defense: The Saints have been pretty “meh” across the board this season, but one area stands out relative to the rest: their run defense, anchored in part by old friend Davon Godchaux, has been quite stout so far. The other side of this battle, meanwhile, is a work in progress. The Patriots are dead-last in the NFL in EPA per run, and will now move forward without Antonio Gibson. On paper, Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson have the potential to be a productive one-two punch, but they have yet to show it. | Edge: Saints

Patriots run defense vs. Saints rushing offense: Led by the ever-reliable Alvin Kamara, the Saints have been one of the most active rushing teams in the NFL so far this season — they are seventh in attempts through Week 5 — but not necessarily particularly effective: they are ranked 21st in yards per attempt and 23rd in EPA per run. New England’s run defense, meanwhile, is ranked fourth in both categories and just managed to keep a powerful Bills run game in check. On paper, the Patriots should win this battle even though Anfernee Jennings being out is less than ideal when it comes to setting a hard edge. | Edge: Patriots

Special teams​

The Patriots are tasked with replacing the aforementioned Antonio Gibson as their kickoff returner following his ACL tear, but their special teams operation still looks superior across the board. Whether it is Andy Borregales (87.5%) having a higher field goal rate than Blake Grupe (66.7%), Bryce Baringer and the punt coverage team having a clear advantage in both gross (+2.4) and net yards per punt (+5.2), or Marcus Jones again looking like one of the top punt returners in the game, the game’s third phase is where New England could gain a hidden-yards advantage. That said, Saints punt returner Rashid Shaheed is no slouch either as evidenced by his seventh-ranked average of 15.2 yards among returners with at least one runback per game. | Edge: Patriots

Coaching​

The Patriots and Saints are in the same boat as far as their coaching situation is concerned: Mike Vrabel and Kellen Moore are both in their first year with their respective teams. So, why do we give the edge to New England? It all starts with experience both at head coach and at the lower levels. In addition, the Patriots’ operation overall has just looked a lot smoother so far this season — a testament to coaching. | Edge: Patriots

Verdict​

The Saints may be coming off their first win of the season, but their 1-4 start was not an accident either: they, like the Patriots, are a team still in the process of building and finding itself. However, it looks like New England is further ahead in this process and top-to-bottom the better of the two teams at the moment. They still need to show it on Sunday, and avoid falling into the dreaded trap after two quality wins, but their status as 3.5-point road favorites is, in our humble opinion, very much justified.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl.../patriots-saints-nfl-week-6-edge-head-to-head

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots place running back Antonio Gibson on injured reserve, opening roster spot

What was imminent became official in Foxborough on Friday.

The New England Patriots placed running back Antonio Gibson on injured reserve ahead of the Week 6 road trip.

Gibson, 27, sustained a season-ending torn ACL on a kickoff return last Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills. Following the 23-20 win at Highmark Stadium, the veteran continued to reside on the 53-man roster. He was listed as a non-participant for three consecutive practices before being ruled out on the final injury report.

Signing as a free agent from the Washington Commanders in 2024, Gibson stands 22 appearances into his stay. It has spanned 411 snaps on offense and 96 snaps in the kicking game. The all-purpose back has scored three touchdowns across 644 rushing yards, 214 receiving yards and 581 return yards. And in September, he was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Gibson, a former wide receiver by way of East Central Community College and the University of Memphis, entered the NFL in the third round of the 2020 draft at No. 66 overall. His three-year, $11.25 million contract with New England runs through next campaign.

Head coach Mike Vrabel described the delayed move to injured reserve as “procedural.” It leaves follow-ups on the horizon.

At running back, the Patriots currently carry starter Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson on the active roster. But Terrell Jennings, a top promotion candidate, is joined on the practice squad by recent addition Jashaun Corbin.

Edge depth is also expected to be called upon after elbow and ankle injuries saw Keion White and Anfernee Jennings ruled out.

The New Orleans Saints host Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff at the Caesars Superdome. The deadline for gameday transactions is set for Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...tonio-gibson-injured-reserve-open-roster-spot

 

[New England Patriots]

Pats Pulpit Reacts: Majority of Patriots fans view Drake Maye as a top-10 QB

Drake Maye has the New England Patriots and their fans feeling good. Coming off a 23-20 upset win over the previously unbeaten Buffalo Bills, the team and its second-year quarterback are trending in the right direction.

Where their journey goes remains to be seen, but in Maye’s case he seems to have arrived among the better QBs in football. In fact, the latest results of our SB Nation Reacts survey show that 74% of Patriots fans already view him as a top-10 player at his position.

Interestingly enough, the comment section was a bit more cautious slapping that label onto him just yet.

WelshPatriot.
No he isn’t a top ten QB. It’s too sensationalist to say that at this time. Top 16 to 20 yes. He played very well in the Buffalo game but he did miss opportunities. Maybe next season or perhaps sooner if he can stay consistent.

CooBear
I think so. But again, who are the qbs that would be ahead of him, like actually ahead of him. Not guys who have better records but aren’t as good at the position.

Dan Lattrell
No. To be top ten you have to play well over a period of time against different opponents. Maye was definitely not top ten last season. If he can continue to string together good games then he may eventually become a top QB in the NFL.

GhostofDynastiesPast
Currently Maye is ‘top 10’ but we’ll need to see where he’s at by the end of the season.

TDDsDad
According to the numbers he is, so I answered yes (because there wasn’t a “no, but get back to me after Thanksgiving” choice).
I think the potential is there. If he continues on this trajectory then yes, by year’s end he will be a top 10 QB.

ShaynaandDanny
I’m a big Maye fan, but Not yet. I need to see a few more games of steady progress like he has shown, then I’ll swap that out to a yes.

sanfranpatsfan
top 10 in some stats right now but there are some QBs currently better than him that aren’t ahead of him because of injury eg Burrow
prob 10-15 though and ascending

Sweaty-Man-Boobs
He is most definitely an ascending QB. If he can prove that he can play at this level on a consistent basis, then he is a top 10 QB. I like the direction that he is heading in and I feel better and better each week that the Patriots drafted him.

luckyfukikentucky
I would say bottom of the top ten. He’s getting better, so long as he continues to protect the ball, the O-line stays healthy he will progressively get better at reading defenses and making better decisions. After all he’s able to make the throws already has the arm strength and placement which should get even better. But if you asked pretty much anybody when we drafted him, would we be happy if he was this good after 17 games? The answer is an absolute yes.

Summit9
No – he’s somewhere between 11 and 13.

All in all, this week’s survey results look as follows:

The Patriots fans are not just happy with their quarterback, but the team as a whole. The latest confidence survey after that aforementioned win over Buffalo shows that 98% of participants feel the club is headed in the right direction, and it seems there is no slowing down coming either.

A whopping 63% of fans, after all, expect the Patriots to win Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints by more than one score. All but 5% overall think New England will leave New Orleans with a victory, optimism shared by a nationwide audience as well.

Whether their quarterback is a top-10 player or not, one thing seems certain: the Patriots have started making some noise, and getting some love.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...n-survey-results-nfl-week-6-saints-drake-maye

 

[New England Patriots]

Mike Vrabel saw ‘glimpses of good football’ from Patriots in win over Saints

It might not have been a blowout like in Week 4, or a major upset against one of the NFL’s best teams as in Week 5, but the New England Patriots’ win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 6 is still one to feel good about. Not only is the 25-19 victory the Patriots’ third straight to improve to 4-2 on the year, they also avoided falling into the dreaded “trap” after their high-profile W against Buffalo one Sunday prior.

Head coach Mike Vrabel was also happy with his team’s performance, so much so that he ended up giving every Patriots player a game ball afterwards. He furthermore mentioned that he saw “glimpses of good football” out of his team during his postgame presser — a verbal level of enthusiasm rarely shown by the 50-year-old at the podium.

“None of it was perfect today,” Vrabel said. “Give them a lot of credit: they competed, they answered. But we extended plays and made some huge plays down the field. Glimpses of good football. We’ll have to clean up a lot of things, but certainly great to go on the road and be able to get a win.”

Of the Patriots’ four wins this season, only one has come at Gillette Stadium. The other three, meanwhile, were all earned on the road — including Sunday’s hard-fought battle with the Saints.

New England leaving the Superdome with a victory is a testament to the team’s preparation and mental readiness. There was no drop-off against a one-win opponent, nor were there any signs of frustration given what can be described as uneven levels of officiating.

For a young team like the Patriots, that is in itself something to build on. Right, Mike Vrabel?

“It’s better than an old team getting out of here with a loss, I would say,” he claimed.

“We will never not enjoy and embrace winning in this league, but I do think that guys are very aware of the fact that it can be better and that it will have to be better the more that we go along here and play. I think that that’s a good sign, that they know that there are some plays that we left out there, that we could have played better. But to do that on the road and be able to end it with the ball offensively in victory formation is fun.”

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...rabel-reaction-patriots-win-saints-nfl-week-6

 

[New England Patriots]

Drake Maye is showing flashes of Tom Brady, and more lessons learned from Patriots vs. Saints

Stringing wins together has not been the New England Patriots’ forte over the last few seasons, but the 2025 version of the team has managed to do just that. Sunday’s 25-19 victory over the Saints in New Orleans was their third in a row, a feat not seen around these parts of the country since 2022.

As with every game, there is plenty to be learned. Here are our 10 takeaways from this week’s contest.

Drake Maye is showing flashes of Tom Brady​

Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down there, buddy!

Granted, comparing anybody to the greatest quarterback of all time, especially a second-year quarterback making his 18th career start, is at best blasphemous and at worst delusional. However, there is no denying that Maye might have done his best Tom Brady impression to date on Sunday.

The Brady-like stat line is one thing — 18-for-26, 261 yards, 3 TDs — but what stood out is that Maye simply took control of the offense and never let go. He made smart decisions with the ball, spread it around well, orchestrated a perfect two-minute drive to close out the first half, and both on that series and throughout the game some clutch throws in high-pressure situations.

Maye executed at a high level despite not having much if any support from the running game either. In fact, he ended as the team’s leading rusher with 32 non-kneel-down yards.

It did not matter. The 2024 first-round draft pick, just like Brady so often did during his two-decade tenure in New England, kept putting the unit on his back and leading it to another overall successful performance.

“Drake, I think, he trusts all of us,” said wide receiver Kayshon Boutte after the game. “I think that’s the biggest thing in an efficient offense, just the quarterback trusting his receivers to make plays and sometimes when we’re not open and when the coverage is clouded, he makes plays himself too. We trust that he can run with the ball, get the first [down] like he did — he did get a couple firsts in critical situations.”

The run game remains stuck in the mud…​

Unless you are the Lamar Jackson-led Baltimore Ravens or the prime-Cam Newton Carolina Panthers, your quarterback ending the game as your leading rusher is never a good sign. On Sunday, it wasn’t. While Drake Maye had some positive moments on scramble drills, the running game itself remained a major issue for the Patriots.

Excluding Maye’s four scrambles and three kneel-downs for a combined 26 yards, New England gained only 47 yards on 24 runs versus the Saints for an abysmal average of under 2.0 yards per carry. The offense operating like that is simply not sustainable.

…but Rhamondre Stevenson shows his value​

Looking purely at his numbers, one might say that Rhamondre Stevenson had a disappointing game. He carried the ball 13 times but managed to gain just 18 total yards. However, playing running back, especially in a Josh McDaniels offense, is more than just taking handoffs: pass protection is also a vital part, and Stevenson looked good in that area.

The Patriots’ game-clinching 3rd-and-11 conversion from Drake Maye to Kayshon Boutte is a perfect example. Stevenson aligned as a protector on the snap, and was tasked with a 1-on-1 block against Saints linebacker Isaiah Stalbird. He delivered, holding his own and giving Maye time to complete the pass and ice the game.

Kayshon Boutte is a first down machine​

Kayshon Boutte had himself a day in his emotional return to his home state of Louisiana. The third-year wideout, who again led the Patriots in snaps at the position, finished with five catches on five targets for 93 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Maye’s favorite target, Boutte kept the offense running by making some crucial plays — all of which either went for a first down or a score.

All 5 of Kayshon Boutte's targets went for 1st downs:

– 3rd & 9 catch-and-run
– Contested deep TD to the backside of a fake screen
– Two grabs during 2 min, including a deep TD where he won leverage before attacking the ball
– Boxed out CB, stayed in bounds on back shoulder pic.twitter.com/AAZtTVcE4R

— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) October 12, 2025

Marcus Jones is a prime extension candidate​

Ever since earning himself recognition as a team captain, Marcus Jones has been on a heater as both a punt returner and a top-three member of the Patriots’ cornerback rotation. Versus the Saints, he broke up three passes and registered a sack on a 3rd-and-6 in the early fourth quarter to hold New Orleans to a field goal.

“He’s one of our captains. He’s a team leader,” said Mike Vrabel. “Very comfortable with him back there. He’s challenged. He challenges. Most of the time, those matchups are a bigger player, but [he is] able to go up there, contest the catches, get some PBUs, being able to hammer the ball out.”

With Jones in the final year of his rookie contract, he is emerging as a clear priority free agent for the Patriots next year. Given his performance so far in 2025, the cap-rich team getting him locked up early might be smart business.

Christian Elliss has turned the corner​

Elevated into a starting role next to Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss had a rough start to his 2025 campaign. However, it seems that he has begun hitting his stride: after already playing solid football against the Buffalo Bills the previous Sunday, he turned into an impact player against the Saints.

Elliss finished the game with six tackles and a pass breakup, another tackle on special teams, and arguably the biggest defensive play of the day: midway through the fourth quarter and with New Orleans having started to build some momentum offensively, he punched the ball out of tight end Juwan Johnson’s arms for a fumble that was recovered by teammate Craig Woodson.

New England failed to take advantage of the turnover and positive field position, but the team still was able to run three minutes off the clock with a six-point lead in hand.

Carlton Davis keeps getting banged up​

You wouldn’t necessarily know it looking at his playing time numbers, but starting cornerback Carlton Davis has now been in need of medical assistance in three straight games. He came down hard on a near-interception against Carolina, took a friendly-fire shot against Buffalo, and came down slowly after a run tackle.

In total, he missed just five combined snaps because of those incidents. However, seeing him get banged up like that on a weekly basis is cause for concern.

The officiating crew was in over its head​

Sunday was one of the worst officiated games you will ever see. We could go through all the questionable flags, procedural delays and general confusion, but instead let’s just pull up two examples — both against wideout Stefon Diggs — to show just how egregious some of the decisions made by referee Adrian Hill and his crew were:

Two different very soft OPI penalties on Stefon Diggs wipe out:

A 61 yard Demario Douglas TD
A 51 yard Stefon Diggs catch

Crazy pair of calls on a very established player pic.twitter.com/oAE86DM7Nx

— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) October 12, 2025

Both flags eliminated big plays, with the first downright one comical. Officiating expert Cameron Filipe of Football Zebras broke the alleged pass interference against Diggs to take away a 61-yard touchdown to DeMario Douglas as follows:

The announcement from referee Adrian Hill did not come until after both teams went to their benches, and a flag was not seen during the broadcast, even when an ultra-wide replay was shown.

Long story short, this is not offensive pass interference. Diggs was not blocking downfield, attempting to gain separation, or creating a pick for a teammate. In fact, the defender, Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, initiated the contact. Since the flag came out so late, we don’t know who threw it.

Disappointing to see an erroneous flag take away a touchdown.

The NFL is staunchly against making everything reviewable, but plays like these are a clear argument why a reverse of course might be in order: the product on the field is not getting any better by officials inserting themselves into the game in such a manner.

The Vrabel-Stretch connection is working​

The officials having a bad day did have one positive: it allowed us to see the connection between Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and his right-hand man, vice president of football operations and strategy John “Stretch” Streicher up close. Streicher, who spends game day up in the booth, is in Vrabel’s ear regarding all kinds of matters, including when to throw the challenge flag.

Twice on Sunday, he advised him to do so. Twice, he did. Twice, the Patriots won: the first allowed them to get the ball on the Christian Elliss forced fumble that was initially ruled down by contact, the second allowed them to run out the clock after the 3rd-and-11 completion from Drake Maye to Kayshon Boutte after it was established that he had not stepped out of bounds.

“I don’t think you ever really know nowadays. I really don’t,” Vrabel said after the game. “Stretch does a fantastic job. Just trying to figure it out, how they’re going to see it. Sometimes they see it the way we do, sometimes they don’t. Just trying to be as smart as we possibly can, and we felt like those were plays that could help us.”

Vrabel added that he also could have challenged a third play, a pass ruled incomplete that could have been turned into a forced fumble by Patriots cornerback Charles Woods upon review. Based on the replays shown on the broadcast, New England winning that challenge also seemed likely.

This is a playoff-caliber team​

The Patriots won a total of four games in 2023 and 2024. Six games into the 2025 season, they have already matched that number and along the way have shown that they are indeed nothing like those previous two teams: whereas the last two seasons the club was effectively eliminated from playoff contention at this point — they both sat at 1-5 after six contests — this year’s version is very much alive.

That’s not an accident either: the Patriots are looking like a playoff team at this point in time. Sure, there is a long way to go, but that in itself is a massive step up in the first year under Mike Vrabel.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...aints-lessons-nfl-week-6-drake-maye-tom-brady

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots rooting guide, open thread, and more for NFL Week 6

Coming off an impressive 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills, the New England Patriots took on the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. They managed to win 25-19 to improve to 4-2 on the year, further solidifying their place in the AFC playoff picture.

While there is still a long way to go, the playoffs are also on our minds in this week’s rooting guide.

Monday​

7:15 p.m. ET​

Buffalo Bills at Atlanta Falcons: Go Falcons! If the Patriots beat the Saints on Sunday and the Falcons beat the Bills a day later, New England would move into first place in the AFC East. | ESPN

8:15 p.m. ET​

Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders: Go good game! This one really does not matter. Enjoy the rest of your Monday night. | ABC

---

The following games were already played earlier in the week:

Thursday​

8:15 p.m. ET​

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants: Go Giants! A simple reason why the Giants are our pick here: they will play the Patriots in December, meaning that a win for them on Thursday night would improve New England’s strength of schedule tiebreaker. | PHI 17, NYG 34

Sunday​

9:30 a.m. ET​

Denver Broncos at New York Jets: Go… Jets? If the Patriots want to make the playoffs, they might have to do so as a wild card team. In order to best position themselves in that race, they need their most realistic competitors to lose as many games as possible, even if it means the Jets winning their first game of the year. Then again, this is pretty specific meaning that another outcome would also not be a disaster. | DEN 13, NYJ 11

1 p.m. ET​

Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens: Go Rams! Looking at this game purely through a strength of schedule perspective, Baltimore would be the pick. However, in this scenario it’s all about rooting for the NFC team the AFC side. | LA 17, BLT 3

Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers: Go Panthers! Two NFC teams, but only one of them is on the Patriots’ schedule. A Carolina win would improve New England’s strength of schedule and strength of victory tiebreakers. | DAL 27, CAR 30

Arizona Cardinals at Indianapolis Colts: Go Cardinals! A classic case of NFC over AFC. | ARZ 27, IND 31

Seattle Seahawks at Jacksonville Jaguars: Go Seahawks! Another classic case of NFC over AFC. | SEA 20, JAX 12

Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins: Go… Chargers? There are arguments to be made for, or rather against, both teams. However, at the end of the day it does not make much of a difference. | LAC 29, MIA 27

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers: Go… Browns? Similar to Broncos-Jets and Chargers-Dolphins, this game features two AFC clubs. With both on the Patriots’ schedule, we are going with the 1-4 squad over the 3-2 team to help spice things up a bit in the division race. As for a New England perspective, it really only makes a marginal difference. | CLV 9, PIT 23

4:05 p.m. ET​

Tennessee Titans at Las Vegas Raiders: Go Titans! The Patriots have both teams on their schedule, but only one of those games is still coming up. We’re going with what looks like the worse of the two teams here, with an eye on a potential strength of victory tiebreaker. | TEN 10, LV 20

4:25 p.m. ET​

Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers: Go Packers! NFC over AFC. Rinse. Repeat. | CIN 18, GB 27

San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Go Bucs! One team is on the Patriots’ schedule and therefore positively impacting the associated tiebreaker. Sorry, Mac Jones. | SF 19, TB 30

8:20 p.m. ET​

Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs: Go Lions! Besides the playoff perspective, the Patriots also own two of the Chiefs’ 2026 draft picks. And while them missing the playoffs would still be considered a major surprise, every new loss makes it more likely of an outcome, which, from the perspective of New England’s draft picks would be the best case. | DET 17, KC 30

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Now it’s your turn. Who are you rooting for this week? And what do you think about the games as they unfold? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts and discuss.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-england-patriots-opinion/111220/patriots-fan-rooting-guide-nfl-week-6

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots opponent preview: Titans stats, record, players to watch, and more for Week 7

The New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans both changed head coaches after the 2023 season. The former agreed to mutually part ways with Bill Belichick after a quarter century together, while the latter fired Mike Vrabel in a somewhat surprising move. Since then, the two organizations made more moves: Jerod Mayo, Belichick’s heir handpicked by owner Robert Kraft, was fired after one disastrous season; the Titans, meanwhile, let go of Vrabel’s successor Brian Callahan just this week.

Needless to say that Callahan’s dismissal six days before the Patriots are set to visit Nissan Stadium adds yet another story to Vrabel’s return to his old stomping grounds. While that makes the Titans somewhat unpredictable, here is what we know about them up until this point in the season.

Titans key stats​

Well, the Titans just fired their coach. You can probably guess that the stats rundown will not look pretty.

Record: 1-5 (4th AFC South)
Scoring differential: -78 (31st)
Turnover differential: -1 (t-15th)
Offense: 13.8 points/game (31st), 232.3 yards/game (32nd), 10 giveaways (t-28th), -0.220 EPA/dropback (31st), -0.156 EPA/run (29th)
Defense: 26.8 points/game (26th), 343.3 yards/game (22nd), 9 takeaways (t-5th), 0.177 EPA/dropback (25th), -0.039 EPA/run (24th)

As can be seen, the Titans have been a bottom-tier team virtually across the board. The only number that stands out in a positive way is the ability to create turnovers: Tennessee is tied for fifth in the league in takeaways, having benefitted from four interceptions and five fumbles. And yet, despite those, the club has been unable to generate any momentum particularly on offense.

And make no mistake, being led by a rookie quarterback is not the only issue for Tennessee’s offense. The offense as a whole has struggled resulting in last-place rankings in both yards (20.8) and points (1.15) per drive on top of those stats above.

And to make matters worse, the defense — despite its opportunism — has not been a whole lot better. Better, yes, but not enough to compensate for an anemic offensive attack.

Titans 2025 season​

The Titans wouldn’t have fired Brian Callahan in early October if they hadn’t played some bad football to this point. Their 1-5 record is proof of that, as is the look at those specific games.

Week 1: 20-12 loss at Denver Broncos (0-1)
Week 2: 33-19 loss vs. Los Angeles Rams (0-2)
Week 3: 41-20 loss vs. Indianapolis Colts (0-3)
Week 4: 26-0 loss at Houston Texans (0-4)
Week 5: 22-21 win at Arizona Cardinals (1-4)
Week 6: 20-10 loss at Las Vegas Raiders (1-5)

Callahan being removed from his position after the latest loss to the Raiders might have had little to do with that particular game. In actuality, it seems like the blowout losses against the Colts and Texans already set the stage for a change, with the subsequent upset win in Arizona merely pushing the inevitable back a week.

Titans active roster​

(Note: Roster up-to-date as of Oct. 15, 5 a.m. ET; *denotes nominal starter)

Quarterback (2): Cam Ward* (1), Brandon Allen (10)

Running back (3): Tony Pollard* (20), Tyjae Spears (2), Julius Chestnut (36)

Wide receiver (6): Elic Ayomanor* (5), Calvin Ridley* (0), Chimere Dike* (17 | KR/PR), Tyler Lockett (4), Van Jefferson (11), Bryce Oliver (80)

Tight end (3): Chigoziem Okonkwo* (85), Gunnar Helm (84), David Martin-Robinson (88)

Offensive tackle (4): Dan Moore Jr.* (75 | LT), J.C. Latham* (55 | RT), Olisaemeka Udoh (72), Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (78)

Interior offensive line (6): Peter Skoronski* (77 | LG), Lloyd Cushenberry III* (79 | C), Kevin Zeitler* (70 | RG), Blake Hance (73), Corey Levin (62), Jackson Slater (64)

Interior defensive line (5): Jeffery Simmons* (98), Sebastian Joseph-Day* (69), James Lynch (97), Shy Tuttle (90), C.J. Ravenell (91)

Defensive edge (5): Dre’Mont Jones* (45), Arden Key* (49), Jihad Ward (53), Jaylen Harrell (92), Ali Gaye (99)

Linebacker (4): Cody Barton* (50), Cedric Gray* (33), James Williams Sr. (52), Dorian Mausi (54)

Cornerback (6): L’Jarius Sneed* (38), Jalyn Armou-Davis* (18), Roger McCreary* (21), Darrell Baker Jr. (39), Marcus Harris (26), Samuel Womack III (35)

Safety (5): Amani Hooker* (37), Xavier Woods* (25), Quandre Diggs (28), Kevin Winston Jr. (23), Kendell Brooks (30)

Specialists (3): Joey Slye (6 | K), Johnny Hekker (3 | P/H), Morgan Cox (46 | LS)

The Titans made a major investment this offseason, selecting quarterback Cam Ward first overall in the NFL Draft. Originally joining a team with an established but reeling starter in Will Levis, Ward was moved up into the QB1 spot after Levis underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.

Since then, the rookie has started all six of Tennessee’s games to, let’s call it uneven success. He has had some flashes but they went hand in hand with the expected growing pains en route to Ward ranking 34th among qualifying quarterbacks with -0.218 expected points added per play. In total, he has completed 111 of 202 pass attempts (55%) for 1,101 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions; he also lost all four of his fumbles.

Surrounding Ward is an offense led by the likes of Calvin Ridley (16-290), Elic Ayomanor (17-196-2) and Chigoziem Okonkwo (23-218) as the young passer’s favorite targets. In addition, the unit features Tony Pollard as its lead back and most productive player overall with 103 touches for 4441 yards and a pair of scores.

All of them are playing behind an offensive line that is better than Ward’s league-leading 25 sacks might suggest. However, there are questions about its development now that veteran coach Bill Callahan left alongside his son.

Over on defense, Jefferey Simmons remains the most noteworthy player. Leading the Titans with 4.5 sacks, 27 total quarterback pressures and a forced fumble, he remains a problem in his seventh year in the NFL. Alongside him, the front seven features plenty of experience in players such as Cody Barton and Dre’Mont Jones, who both arrived this offseason and have had a positive impact so far (Barton, for example, is leading the team with two interceptions).

In the secondary, L’Jarius Sneed is one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in football and the Titans’ No. 1 at the position. He is joined by Roger McCreary and Jalyn Armour-Davis, the latter of whom coming aboard as a waiver claim in August but already being a top three cornerback for the team.

When it comes to special teams, there is a familiar name: Joey Slye was with the Patriots’ kicker last season before being let go in favor of rookie Andy Borregales.

Titans reserves​

Practice squad (15): QB Trevor Siemian (15), RB Jordan Mims (24), WR Mason Kinsey (12), WR James Proche (13), WR Xavier Restrepo (87), TE Joel Wilson (83), OT John Ojukwu (—), OL Clay Webb (60), DT Timmy Horne (94), DT Cam Horsley (72), ED Carlos Watkins (96), LB Curtis Jacobs (57), LB Kyzir White (42), CB Sam Webb (41), K Matthew Wright (14)

Practice squad injured reserve (1): RB Blake Watson

Injured reserve (6): QB Will Levis, RB Kalel Mullings, DT T’Vondre Sweat, ED Oluwafemi Oladejo, ED Anfernee Orji, S Mike Brown

Besides the aforementioned Will Levis, the Titans also have some other prominent names on injured reserve. T’Vondre Sweat is a starter-level defensive tackle, while second-round rookie Oluwafemi Oladejo would under normal circumstances factor into the team’s edge rush.

Titans coaching staff​

Head coach: Mike McCoy (interim)

Coordinators: Nick Holz (OC), Dennard Wilson (DC), ST John Fassel

As noted above, the Titans’ coaching staff underwent some major changes this week. Besides firing Brian Callahan after his combined record of 4-19 over the last two years, his senior assistant Mike McCoy — himself a former head coach of the Chargers — was elevated to the interim position.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...w-record-injuries-players-to-watch-nfl-week-7

 

[New England Patriots]

Stefon Diggs, Patriots not drinking the Kool-Aid after taking AFC East lead

As the New England Patriots returned to work at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, they did so sitting atop the AFC East standings. But, with 11 games still ahead, they know plenty of work is left to be done.

“They’re not going to cancel the rest of the season, and that’s not really our focus right now,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “But I would say that we’ve done – we’ve put ourselves in a position to play meaningful games – not that they aren’t all meaningful, but certainly focusing on this one on the road.”

In the midst of a three game win streak, playoff buzz has begun outside the building. Inside it, though, the players are ignoring the noise and sticking to what has worked.

“The biggest thing is don’t drink the Kool-Aid,” wide receiver Stefon Diggs said. “They’re going to say a lot of good things about you, but it’s only the second quarter of the season — you break it up in quarters. Don’t buy into that. You get distracted by how good they say you are. You get to doing different things or not committing to the process like you were before.”

Coming off an emotional primetime victory over the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots followed it with another one-score victory in New Orleans. Vrabel credited his team’s ability to quickly reset and correct mistakes rather than look ahead — ultimately sticking to that process that has led them to early success.

“We’re not that kind of team,” Diggs said. “We came in with the right mindset today trying to get back on track. We feel like we left a lot of plays out there [in New Orleans], even me. I feel like I took a touchdown away from Pop and I had some things going on out there. Trying to be better and I’m back to the grind.

“Just don’t drink the Kool-Aid and get caught up on that [expletive]. It’s neither here nor there. We’ll figure that out ten more games from now.”

The focus now lies on a third straight road game to take on the 1-5 Tennessee Titans, where the Patriots will just look to continue playing their best football.

“Focusing on Tennessee and the challenge that that presents,” Vrabel said. “Seeing if we can continue to enhance the things that we do well, improve the things that we’re not doing well and then eliminate the stuff that could or will or has gotten us beat.”

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...nking-the-kool-aid-after-taking-afc-east-lead

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots vs. Titans Wednesday injury report: Harold Landry III among three sidelined

The New England Patriots began preparations for the Tennessee Titans without Harold Landry III.

The defensive captain and sack leader was sidelined from Wednesday’s practice in Foxborough. He had played through an ankle injury last weekend against the New Orleans Saints after spending time in the blue medical tent.

Fellow outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings and safety Jaylinn Hawkins joined the 2018 draft choice on the list of non-participants.

Here’s the first injury report heading into Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff at Nissan Stadium.

DID NOT PARTICIPATE​

Patriots​

• LB Harold Landry III (ankle)
• LB Anfernee Jennings (ankle)
• S Jaylinn Hawkins (hamstring)

Titans​

• WR Calvin Ridley (hamstring)
• WR Tyler Lockett (not injury related — rest)
• G Kevin Zeitler (not injury related — rest)
• DT Jeffery Simmons (not injury related — rest)
• DE James Lynch (shoulder)
• LB Arden Key (quadricep)
• CB L’Jarius Sneed (quadricep)

Due to ankle and hamstring injuries, respectively, the Patriots ruled out Jennings and Hawkins before the visit to the Caesars Superdome. Both finished last week as non-participants. That continued on Wednesday as part of a sidelined group of three. As for Landry off the edges, he has started and stayed in for 81.7 percent of the defensive snaps this fall. The former Titans Pro Bowler stands with 22 tackles, 4.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

LIMITED PARTICIPATION​

Patriots​

• WR Stefon Diggs (chest)
• OT Morgan Moses (hip)
• DT Christian Barmore (not injury related — other)
• CB Charles Woods (knee)

Titans​

• WR Van Jefferson (ankle)
• WR Bryce Oliver (knee)
• G Blake Hance (shoulder)
• DT T’Vondre Sweat (ankle — IR return)
• CB Marcus Harris (calf)
• S Kevin Winston Jr. (hamstring)
• K Joey Slye (right calf)

The Patriots returned to the practice fields with four limited participants. Veteran starters on the offensive side of the ball were among them. Diggs was partial due to a chest injury after catching three passes for 28 yards and having an outstretched 52-yarder called back for offensive pass interference in New Orleans. Along with the wide receiver, Moses was partial due to a hip injury. The 34-year-old right tackle has been in for 98.4 percent of the O-line’s workload thus far.

FULL PARTICIPATION​

Patriots​

• DE Keion White (elbow)
• CB Christian Gonzalez (hamstring)

Titans​

• No players listed

The top selections from the 2023 Patriots draft class were back in full to start Titans prep. White missed three consecutive practices last week on the way to being ruled out due to an elbow injury. As for Gonzalez, who missed the initial three games of September because of a lingering hamstring injury, he had recently been limited and questionable. But the reigning All-Pro cornerback handled 55 out of 56 defensive snaps in what became a 25-19 win last Sunday.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...eport-harold-landry-iii-among-three-sidelined

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots rooting guide, open thread, and more for NFL Week 7

Fresh off their third straight win, the New England Patriots will try to get their win streak going on the road against the Tennessee Titans at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. Theirs is only one of 15 games in Week 7 of the NFL season.

Without further ado, here is to root for in those other 14 games.

Thursday​

8:15 p.m. ET​

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-4): Go Bengals! The Patriots will still play Cincinnati later this season, which means that a Bengals win on Thursday night might end up boosting their strength of victory tiebreaker further down the line. | Amazon

Sunday​

9:30 a.m. ET​

Los Angeles Rams (4-2) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2): Go Rams! One is an NFC team, the other directly competing with the Patriots for playoff positioning. This is as easy as they come. | NFL Network

1 p.m. ET​

New Orleans Saints (1-5) at Chicago Bears (3-2): Go Saints! While this might end up having an adverse effect on the 2026 seventh-round draft pick New Orleans shipped to New England, a Saints win would be good for the Patriots’ strength of victory and schedule tiebreakers. | FOX

Miami Dolphins (1-5) at Cleveland Browns (1-5): Go Browns! Both teams are a) on the Patriots’ schedule, and b) absolutely putrid. We are rooting for the non-AFC East side on principle. | CBS

Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) at Kansas City Chiefs (3-3): Go Raiders! A Raiders win would have multiple positive effects on New England. It would put more distance between them and the eighth seed if paired with a Patriots win; it would increase the Patriots’ strength of schedule; it might help with the Patriots’ 2026 draft picks acquired via Kansas City. | CBS

Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) at Minnesota Vikings (3-2): Go good game! Both teams are in the NFC and neither is on the Patriots’ schedule. | FOX

Carolina Panthers (3-3) at New York Jets (0-6): Go Jets? OK, hear us out. The Patriots should beat the Jets twice this year, which means that this would have no negative impact on their strength of victory. But also, the Jets winning a few games here and there might remove them from the No. 1 overall draft pick conversation. Then again, you could just root for the Panthers and be done with it, too. | FOX

4:05 p.m. ET​

New York Giants (2-4) at Denver Broncos (4-2): Go Giants! An NFC team on the Patriots’ schedule versus an AFC team competing for the playoffs. Easy choice. | CBS

Indianapolis Colts (5-1) at Los Angeles Chargers (4-2): Go Chargers? Neither team is on the Patriots’ schedule while both are in the playoff race atop their respective divisions. A Chargers win would keep the entire top of the conference, including the Patriots, closer together but that’s the only noteworthy angle to take here. | CBS

4:25 p.m. ET​

Green Bay Packers (3-1-1) at Arizona Cardinals (2-4): Go good game! Another all-NFC game without any direct ties to the Patriots. | FOX

Washington Commanders (3-3) at Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1): Go good game! There are Patriots connections to both teams, but that doesn’t impact who to root for: neither or both, depending on your point of view. | FOX

8:20 p.m. ET​

Atlanta Falcons (3-2) at San Francisco 49ers (4-2): Go Falcons! Sorry Mac Jones and Kendrick Bourne, your individual success has to take a backseat to the Patriots’ strength of schedule and potential victory tiebreakers in this one. The Falcons will visit Gillette Stadium in two weeks. | NBC

Monday​

7 p.m. ET​

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1) at Detroit Lions (4-2): Go Bucs! The Patriots will play the Buccaneers in Week 10, and that’s all that matters in this marquee NFC matchup. | ESPN/ABC

10 p.m. ET​

Houston Texans (2-3) at Seattle Seahawks (4-2): Go Seahawks! Another classic case of NFC team over AFC team. | ESPN

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Now it’s your turn. Who are you rooting for this week? And what do you think about the games as they unfold? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts and discuss.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-england-patriots-opinion/111824/patriots-fan-rooting-guide-nfl-week-7