The New England Patriots have become one of the best stories of the 2025 NFL season. Boasting a league-best 9-2 record, they hold the No. 1 seed in the AFC, at least until the Indianapolis Colts return to action on Nov. 23 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Led by Drake Maye and a solid offense, the Pats are in the middle of an eight-game winning streak for the first time without Tom Brady on the roster. They are making strides to be a perennial contender for the foreseeable future and fans are bracing for a potential new dynasty in Foxborough.
Maye isn’t the only one making a strong impact on the team, but his level of display has certainly helped his teammates.
Patriots defender on how this team has gotten so much better
In the wake of the 27-14 win over the New York Jets, linebacker Robert Spillane was asked when he felt the Patriots were good enough to have lost only two games after 11 duels.
“People have asked me this question in the past, but I have something called like ‘player delusion.’ Every year I felt like I was going to be 11-0 after 11 games. It’s part of my confidence, I guess. It’s part of my process. Every game I’ve ever gone into, I expect to win the game. And we have a bunch of guys that are just like that, too. No one feels outmatched. We’re never going to feel like an underdog. We’re going to continue playing team defense, team offense, team football, and let the chips fall where they may,” he said.
While some have criticized their schedule, saying it has been weak, others noted that they went to Highmark Stadium and beat the Buffalo Bills in Week 5 and went to Raymond James Stadium and beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10. They have cashed in on the ease of the schedule, but that doesn’t mean they have backed down against stronger opponents.