So much has changed in two years

[DoubleDeluxe]

Not sure how much it counts for but Bleacher Report ranks us Top 10 in WR groups with the Brown trade... although they list Boutte as our 3rd best WR so one wonders how well informed they are

I would agree with the assessment but what's more noteworthy is who isn't on this list such as the Bills

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25435155-ranking-nfls-best-wr-groups-after-aj-brown-trade

Boutte probably is our 3rd best.
Hollins is great in his role.
KW could be better, but not yet.
Based off last year Boutte should be ranked 3rd, so I think they seem to be well informed.

 

[TheRainMaker]

True, there's no AFC team that's perfect, we all have warts. The schedules are the next most important factor. We have a tough one, but Buffalo & Denver's are nearly identical to ours. Glad we have Denver at home, there's no team where that matters more. We do have some tough road games - Seahawks, Jags, Bills, Bears, Chargers, Chiefs - but we have extra rest before 3 of them. Health is the other factor. Not psyched that we already lost a TE.

Don't be shocked if the Pats finish with a worse record than 2025, but are a better overall team. Pats should be fine within the division and split with Buffalo at worst. They really should've gone undefeated in the division last season.

I don't see this team losing more than 5 games.

 

[Rob0729]

Not sure how much it counts for but Bleacher Report ranks us Top 10 in WR groups with the Brown trade... although they list Boutte as our 3rd best WR so one wonders how well informed they are

I would agree with the assessment but what's more noteworthy is who isn't on this list such as the Bills

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25435155-ranking-nfls-best-wr-groups-after-aj-brown-trade

I would have the Patriots higher than 9.

I get JSN was amazing last year, but he was the Seahawks' entire passing offense. I don't think any other receiver on their team makes the Patriots' roster. You take away JSN and give them a slightly above average #1 WR and you could argue the Seahawks have one of the worst receiving corps in the league. The writer does acknowledge that their ranking is solely about JSN, but what are the odds he is going to have another season like last year?

I think Jakobi Meyers is a good, not great #2 WRs in the league, I don't know if Brian Thomas Jr. is the guy from last year or his rookie year. So I don't think the Jags have better receivers than the Patriots. Parker Washington had a decent year last year with a handful of stellar games, but I don't know if that was more about Thomas falling off a cliff in production. Unless Thomas rebounds, I don't know if they have a legitimate #1 WR or just three good #2/#3 types. That said, I would have been happy if the Pats traded for Thomas if they didn't get Brown.

I think the Pats' WR corp is deeper than the Broncos (or pretty much most of the teams on the list) and I think AJ Brown is decently better than Waddle or Sutton. So I might give the edge to the Patriots there too.


It would be tough (or in most cases, impossible) to put the Pats above the rest of the group above them. Maybe the Rams if Adams hits the age wall or all the Puka stuff makes him implode.

As for the Bills, they shouldn't be on the list. DJ Moore can be a good #1 WR at his best. He is most likely going to be average to above average. The rest of their receivers are so-so and occasionally elevated by Josh Allen. It is like some of the ok receivers that Brady made look far better than they were when he was with the Pats.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

Got a feeling we will be able to say….

 

[TheRainMaker]

Not sure how much it counts for but Bleacher Report ranks us Top 10 in WR groups with the Brown trade... although they list Boutte as our 3rd best WR so one wonders how well informed they are

I would agree with the assessment but what's more noteworthy is who isn't on this list such as the Bills

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25435155-ranking-nfls-best-wr-groups-after-aj-brown-trade

I'm just glad the Bills didn't make the list.

Seahawks at 7 is a joke. The passing game was dead to rights when Gonzalez erased JSN and when he exited the Super Bowl, but bailed out by the run game. I wouldn't even put them in the top 10.

Here's how I'd rank these teams:

10. Seahawks
9. Texans
8. Vikings
7. Jaguars
6. Patriots
5. Rams
4. Broncos
3. Bengals
2. Cowboys
1. Lions

Bold indicates best tandems.

 

[Real fan 02]

I'm just glad the Bills didn't make the list.

Seahawks at 7 is a joke. The passing game was dead to rights when Gonzalez erased JSN and when he exited the Super Bowl, but bailed out by the run game. I wouldn't even put them in the top 10.

Here's how I'd rank these teams:

10. Seahawks
9. Texans
8. Vikings
7. Jaguars
6. Patriots
5. Rams
4. Broncos
3. Bengals
2. Cowboys
1. Lions

Bold indicates best tandems.

Google Search

 

[TheRainMaker]

Google Search

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone with the Pats at #14 while the Bills are at #2. I have no idea what these people are looking at with the other teams ranked where they are ahead of NE.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48845972/2026-nfl-season-football-power-index-projections-super-bowl-chances-simulations

 

[Real fan 02]

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone with the Pats at #14 while the Bills are at #2. I have no idea what these people are looking at with the other teams ranked where they are ahead of NE.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48845972/2026-nfl-season-football-power-index-projections-super-bowl-chances-simulations

Same here. These aren't the 2020 patriots they are fresh off a superbowl appearance and are disrespected. It's added motivation for them. The offense has the ability to be top 5 and they have the bills over them. Unreal

 

[Give Kraft A Hand]

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone with the Pats at #14 while the Bills are at #2. I have no idea what these people are looking at with the other teams ranked where they are ahead of NE.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48845972/2026-nfl-season-football-power-index-projections-super-bowl-chances-simulations

They’re still trying to make fetch (Josh Allen Super Bowl QB) a thing

 

[Borg140]

Well said by the OP. It’s pretty impressive what the Pats have done in just two years.

 

[Borg140]

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone with the Pats at #14 while the Bills are at #2. I have no idea what these people are looking at with the other teams ranked where they are ahead of NE.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48845972/2026-nfl-season-football-power-index-projections-super-bowl-chances-simulations

Power rankings in June. It’s just nonsense.

 

[TommyD4207]

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone with the Pats at #14 while the Bills are at #2. I have no idea what these people are looking at with the other teams ranked where they are ahead of NE.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48845972/2026-nfl-season-football-power-index-projections-super-bowl-chances-simulations

The Cult of Josh Allen is even bigger than the Cult of Sidy Sow, and almost as weird, believe it or not.

 

[AQPE]

KB doesn't sound disgruntled I'm sure he knows it's business. And if he plays his butt off he could secure a good payday like Doubs next FA.

I’m very impressed with Boutee’s professionalism, he really “gets it.” When I think of how highly regarded he was after his freshman year ans how much he struggled after that, his maturity is quite remarkable. Think of how that contrasts with “Slow Polk” and “Popcorn Man.” I have a hard time believing he’ll be retained after this season but I’m pulling for him. A team is much stronger with guys that hav his level of character.

 

[OldEngland]

Thought it might be interesting to analyse the starting players and roster to determine where and when the turnover has come from.

A quarter of the starters (6) and some solid pieces of WR depth comes from the BB era. CB1 Gonzalez. NCB Jones. DT Barmore. RB1 Stephenson. TE1 Henry. RG Onwenu, with WR4 Boutte, WR5 Douglas and P Barringer

The most important player comes from the Mayo debarkle. QB1 Maye. As does LB Ellis, and back up OL Wallace.

6 Starters come from FA signings from the first year of the Vrabel era. DT Williams, CB2 Davis. RT Moses. WR3 Hollins. LB Spillane, Edge Landry. Also DT Durden and IOL Brown. There are also a few players picked up on waivers depth wise.

3 starters drafted in the first year of the Vrabel era plus key ST players. LT Campbell. C Wilson. S Woodson. Also of note RB2 Henderson and WR Williams who got rotational snaps, Plus K Borregales and LS Ashby. With a lot of back up depth on the roster from lower round and UDFAs. I haven't included 2026 draft, but DE Jacas and TE raridon likely to get snaps and Lomu key piece for 27.

5 Starters from FA or trade in year 2. WR1 Brown, WR2 Doubs, LG AVT, S Byard. DE Jones. Plus FB Gilliam.

Very roughly. A quarter of the starters are from BB era. Maye and Ellis are the only real pieces from the Mayo year. Over 50% of starters from FA in 2025 and another quarter from FA in 2026. Rest from the 2025 Draft. Majority of depth from 2025 and 2026 draft combined with waiver pick ups.

 

[BobDigital]

Absolutely. They have had 2 good years of free agency with very few moves which could be called miss steps. The key though long term is the draft. Fast turnarounds like this are done in free agency. Long term means draft success.

I am hopeful Henderson and Williams take the next steps. Campbell shows his issues were entirely injury and builds on an up and down but promising year 1. Wilson will hopefully show he was worth his pick back at his usual spot. The only pick I feel 100% confident at this point was a clear win is Woodson who was great value.

 

[OldEngland]

Very roughly. A quarter of the starters are from BB era. Maye and Ellis are the only real pieces from the Mayo year. Over 50% of starters from FA in 2025 and another quarter from FA in 2026. Rest from the 2025 Draft. Majority of depth from 2025 and 2026 draft combined with waiver pick ups.

MIssed a typo. Should be 50% of the starters are FAs signed in the Vrabel era. Approx a quarter in 2025 and another quarter in 2026.

 

[TheRainMaker]

The Cult of Josh Allen is even bigger than the Cult of Sidy Sow, and almost as weird, believe it or not.

It's flat out trolling at this point. Aside from the Seahawks and Rams, none of the other teams should be ahead of the Pats - especially the Cowboys. I have no idea how they snuck in there. I could go tear apart the other teams as well.

 

[mgteich]

It's flat out trolling at this point. Aside from the Seahawks and Rams, none of the other teams should be ahead of the Pats - especially the Cowboys. I have no idea how they snuck in there. I could go tear apart the other teams as well.

"should be". Do you mean should be according to you?

Is trolling not agreeing with TheRainMaker? I don't think that I have read any major media or betting sites that consider the patriots in the top 3 teams, as you do. I don't know any that have us in the top 5, even after adding Brown.

PLEASE LIST
all the betting sites that have the patriots as as the 3rd most likely team to make the SB.
all the betting sites that have the patriots as the most likely to win the AFC CHampionship.
all the betting sites that have the patriots in the top 3 strongest teams.
===================
AS AN ASIDE
Please list the betting sites that have the patriots as clear favorites to win the AFCE. I do think that some sites are starting have us winning the same number of games as BUF. Even those sites, think that BUF is more likely to be in the AFC Championship Game.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I was thinking about. This time two years ago, we were looking at the Patriots being one of the least talented rosters in the league, if not the least talented. You had Drake Maye (who was an unproven rookie) and Christian Gonzalez and not a heck of lot else. Some good players like Owenu, Henry, and Barmore, but no real standouts and a lot of trash. They had the worst o-line in football. Their best WR didn't even get 600 yards. There was no pass rush with their lead sacker with 5 sacks. It was a disaster everywhere.

In two years, Vrabel, Wolf, and company has completely rebuilt this team. This team is easily the most talented team in the AFC East and arguably one of the most talented teams in the AFC and the league. They may have the best secondary in the league. They turned a laughable WR receiving corp to one of the best and deepest in the league. They have one of the best interior defensive lines in the league. The o-line has been completely rebuilt (results are still pending though). The defense itself could be one of the top defenses. The offense is poised to be a top offense.

This team obviously has its questions. We don't know if they will have a good outside pass rush. The LB corp is a little thin. And we don't know if all the upgrades with the o-line will work.

That said, despite all the haters claims that the Pats will faulter because they now have a tough schedule, they are still one of the favorites to win the AFC after being arguably the worst team in the league just two years ago.

I wonder if there is any NFL team that has risen from the depths to serious competitiveness as many times and as quickly as the Patriots.

The Patriots Haters/Denigrators Jihad (which includes a large portion of their own fan base, at least as far as last century is concerned) had, indeed, many losses and losing seasons to back up their fantasy, but the number and significance of the wins offsets them overwhelmingly. It's right there in the record book.

As far as how it happened, here's a list to help get it:

Holovak-Parilli
Fairbanks-Plunkett/Grogan
Berry-Grogan/Flutie
Parcells-Bledsoe
Belichick-Brady
Vrabel-Maye

That's six in 65 years, with, I think, more COY than anybody else.

We have to give all these coaches their due - as well as the 3 different owners who hired them.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

They’re still trying to make fetch (Josh Allen Super Bowl QB) a thing