SEATTLE — The Patriots came out of nowhere to end up in the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel's first season.
It was a charmed season. The schedule lined up with a light load of starting quarterbacks. The team had a ridiculous run of injury luck that kept their lack of depth from hurting them. Then their luck got even better in the postseason, as they faced quarterbacks who were beat up behind bad lines (Justin Herbert, C.J. Stroud) and a backup QB in the AFC Championship Game (Jarrett Stidham).
As far as seasons go, not many line up better than that. And, credit to the Patriots, they took advantage of the breaks and pressed forward. Eventually, reality set in against the Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
As the 2026 season begins, you have to wonder if the football gods will even things out, especially considering what transpired in the offseason with the head coach. Fate can be a cruel mistress. Just ask the Commanders about last season, one year after a Patriots-like run to the NFC Championship Game.
New England certainly invited some Commanders-like comparisons, dipping into familiar - and aging - waters with A.J. Brown and Kevin Byard brought in as finishing pieces on both offense and defense. We'll see on Byard, but Brown looks poised to rediscover his form after losing his lust for football around Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' downtrodden offense.
I don't have many worries about the Patriots' offense. The offensive line should be improved, if not vastly improved, this season, as LT Will Campbell looks like a new man, and Jared Wilson appears to be a natural at center. As long as Mike Onwenu and Morgan Moses bring the same level of steady play, the only real unknown entering the season is LG Alijah Vera-Tucker. He has the highest ceiling of any of them, but he hasn't played a lot of football due to injuries over the past few seasons. Is he ready to start fast, or will there be an acclimation period?
The Patriots seem to have solved their run-blocking issues, especially in short yardage, with FB Reggie Gilliam and two legitimate blocking tight ends in Tanner Arkin and Cam Latu, who are huge upgrades over Austin Hooper. That should lighten the load for Hunter Henry and allow him to be more of a playmaker. And rookie Eli Raridon can be a gameplan big-play threat. We'll see if the light goes on for speedster back TreVeyon Henderson — perhaps Gilliam can lead him to the sliver of daylight he needs — but Rhamondre Stevenson never gets enough credit for how well he does everything.
The receivers are deep and an eclectic collection of talent — everyone does something a little different, which should aid game-to-game planning and make the Patriots more efficient situationally. Brown is open even when he's not. Romeo Doubs has a knack for coming up big when needed. If Pop Douglas doesn't break out this season, that would be a stain on offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Mack Hollins is the Stevenson of the receivers, and Kyle Williams brings much-needed speed to the group.
We may look back and realize the humbling Super Bowl loss (and postseason run) was the best thing to happen to Drake Maye. All of his young faults, especially his