Patriots Win The AFC East

By Steve Atkinson 

For the first time since 2019, the Patriots have won the AFC East—something Belichick couldn’t do without Tom Brady. People also want to talk about the easy schedule. Yeah, the teams they played were easy, except Buffalo and Baltimore, but let’s face it, Belichick doesn’t have this team over .500. No way. They couldn’t even beat the Jets at the end of the season in 2023. Drake Maye wouldn’t have Stefon Diggs, who has come in and been the number one receiver for Drake Maye. Thank God Mike Vrabel saw the vision this team had from the beginning. The goal was to win the division. Mission accomplished.

The Patriots Reach A Goal Thanks To Mike Vrabel

Mike Vrabel came to New England because of Drake Maye and what he was capable of. He never had this type of quarterback in Tennessee. Robert Kraft’s acquisition of Josh McDaniels for Maye has been a godsend because McDaniels has broadened his horizons and set it up to Drake’s play set. Here was Vrabel after the Jets’ win

You know, it was a tough one, the first one, just going all the way back to Miami, and I think that was just a really important game for us, being able to battle and give up a punt return, answer with a kickoff return, you know, I mean, going all the way back and just big kick from Andy (Borregales). And we’ve talked about all those things that have helped us along the way, and talked about just unfinished business on the road and being able to, when we needed to, handle the environment and make critical plays and get off to a good start like we did today. So, really proud of this football team and what they’ve been able to do. Any time you travel, it’s difficult, so.

The five-year hiatus from not winning the division paid off this year. The real test comes in the playoffs and next season, but it’s fine to just live in the moment and focus on what’s ahead this season. They are still in line for the number one seed with a win on Sunday and a Broncos loss.

Mike Vrabel today on how the team found out on the ride back from New Jersey, they had won the division.

I mean, it was great. Everybody was kind of watching on their phones or following along. I think the timing of it worked out well, that the Eagles were able to win, and then we were able to kind of time it up here, and have the hats and the T-shirts here ready to go pretty quickly. And so, I appreciate that, and Stick [Preston Rogers]’s crew having that ready to go. Players enjoyed it. Staff enjoyed it. I thought it was perfect timing, and then everybody kind of went on their way.