The Patriots weren’t necessarily panicking after a 1-2 start, but Mike Vrabel refused to pretend all was well after last week’s blowout loss to the Jaguars, telling reporters that his concern level was “very high.”
After a late touchdown by Efton Chism III propelled New England to a 29-26 road win over the division-rival Bills, it’s fair to say momentum has shifted back in the Patriots’ direction.
TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS. What a catch by Efton Chism III to take the lead! @NEvsBUF on CBS/Paramount+ Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/DtIZoenYNL
— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
Vrabel said after Sunday’s victory that the win “gets us back in the division race,” and that isn’t overstating it: a loss would’ve put the Patriots three games behind the Bills in the AFC East.
Here’s a look at how Sunday’s win has parallels to 2025, when the Patriots sparked their unbelievable run to the AFC title.
MORE NFL WEEK 4 NEWS:
Did Patriots save season with win over Bills?
It’s easy to forget the Patriots started 1-2 last season as well before finishing the regular season on a 13-1 run. While 13-1 might be asking too much of this year’s Patriots team, particularly given their schedule, it wasn’t until a Week 5 win over the Bills last season that New England started to emerge as a real contender.
The scenario was remarkably similar: the Patriots went to Buffalo on Oct. 5 last season as underdogs and won by three points, effectively announcing to the rest of the league that they were ready to make a leap in Drake Maye’s second season.
The Patriots didn’t necessarily enter Sunday needing to prove themselves to the rest of the NFL, but they perhaps did need to prove to themselves that they could still win big games. Maye went toe-to-toe with Allen, as Vrabel said Sunday, and a team missing two critical pieces in A.J. Brown and Christian Gonzalez outplayed the Bills in Buffalo.
Last season, the Patriots turned that win into a streak, not losing again until a Dec. 14 meeting with the Bills, ironically. This year’s schedule might prevent that kind of run, but with the Jets and Dolphins among their next four opponents, there is a legitimate chance for a much more confident New England team to start stacking some wins.
Patriots upcoming schedule
Here are the Patriots’ next six games:
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| Oct. 11 | vs. Raiders | 1 p.m. |
| Oct. 18 | vs. Jets | 1 p.m. |
| Oct. 22 | at Bears | 8:15 p.m. |
| Nov. 1 | at Dolphins | 4:25 p.m. |
| Nov. 8 | vs. Packers | 4:25 p.m. |
| Nov. 15 | vs. Lions (London) | 9:30 p.m. |
Could the Patriots rattle off another winning streak? The jury is still out on the Raiders, who jumped out to a 3-0 start, but the Jets and Dolphins both look like teams that could be overmatched by New England.
The NFC North poses more of a threat to the Patriots. Facing the Bears in Chicago is a tough task, as is slowing the Lions‘ offense in London, but the Packers have looked much more vulnerable to start the season.
MORE NFL WEEK 4 INJURY NEWS:
