Those skeptical of the 9-2 Patriots, winners of eight in a row, fall back on citing their soft schedule, as if their opponents didn’t perceive them to be a soft-spot on their schedule when the season began.
It’s a cliché and an adage, but it’s true: You can only play who is lined up in front of you every week. Since Week 4, the Patriots have not only stood up to every opponent, but beaten them, often handily, while quarterback Drake Maye (the league leader in completion percentage and passing yards) has emerged, much to the chagrin of the rest of the league, as a franchise quarterback.
Even if some are hesitant to change their perceptions, the Patriots are for real, and one piece of evidence — one the skeptics somehow miss — is that they are yet to lose on the road this season.
Read Chad Finn's Unconventional Preview of New England's game in Cincinnati at Globe.com/Sports. |
