Sportsnaut
The 2025 NFL season has been full of surprises, and perhaps none have been bigger than the success of the New England Patriots. The Patriots are sitting atop the AFC East with a 6-2 record just one season after finishing 4-13.
The Patriots were a popular pick this offseason to improve after bringing in a new coaching staff led by Mike Vrabel. However, thinking the team would be a legitimate contender this soon was not as popular.
Vrabel deserves a ton of credit for the turnaround, but so does young quarterback Drake Maye. Maye has been playing so well in 2025 that he’s getting legitimate MVP buzz. People around the league are taking notice, and one college football legend and former NFLer had a bold claim to offer.
Manti Te’o, who was an All-American linebacker at Notre Dame, believes the Patriots can make a run in the postseason.
“I don’t think you can look at another team and see a bigger jump,” Te’o said on “Good Morning Football.” “Drake Maye and the Patriots, to me, are set up for a postseason run. They’ve been playing phenomenal.”
Te’o certainly has a point about the Patriots making the biggest jump from 2024 to 2025. The only other team that could be argued is the Indianapolis Colts, who are sitting at 7-1 after finishing 8-9 last season. The Patriots already have three more wins than they had all of last season, though.
As Te’o mentioned, the Patriots have indeed been “phenomenal.” The team is second in rushing yards allowed per game, fourth in points allowed per game, and eighth in points scored per game. It’s been a solid all-around effort so far, and there’s no reason to believe the team will slow down anytime soon.
The Patriots have now won five games in a row, with their last loss coming in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team has a solid shot to get their sixth in a row on Sunday when they take on the Atlanta Falcons in Foxboro.
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