After 9 games of easy victories and wins that weren't as close as the final score, we had these two results:
Game 10, Patriots 27-Giants 26
Game won on a last second 54 yard Gostkowski kick
Game 11, Patriots 20-Bills 13
Sloppy offensive game in which the Patriots hold on despite not scoring in the fourth
Two narrow victories which came after the team's talent base eroded due to injuries to bring the team to 11-0. The undefeated run ended the week after vs. Denver, and we know what happened after that, but these wins gave us the cushion in the standings to absorb the poor end of the regular season while still earning the Wild Card week bye, to give the team time to hopefully recover health.
If the Patriots go on to go to the Super Bowl, those two midseason wins will be a key reason why. If they lose either game and don't win any of the other games they lost, they'd be preparing to host the Steelers next weekend. Let's hope this rest will get people back and help flip back the switch to how well they were playing early in the season.
Game 10, Patriots 27-Giants 26
Game won on a last second 54 yard Gostkowski kick
Game 11, Patriots 20-Bills 13
Sloppy offensive game in which the Patriots hold on despite not scoring in the fourth
Two narrow victories which came after the team's talent base eroded due to injuries to bring the team to 11-0. The undefeated run ended the week after vs. Denver, and we know what happened after that, but these wins gave us the cushion in the standings to absorb the poor end of the regular season while still earning the Wild Card week bye, to give the team time to hopefully recover health.
If the Patriots go on to go to the Super Bowl, those two midseason wins will be a key reason why. If they lose either game and don't win any of the other games they lost, they'd be preparing to host the Steelers next weekend. Let's hope this rest will get people back and help flip back the switch to how well they were playing early in the season.