Hope was high at this point last January when New England — fresh off a miserable four-win season — brought in former linebacker and established NFL head coach Mike Vrabel to lead the franchise back to relevancy.
Fans had embers of optimism to huddle around, headlined by the promise put forth by rookie QB Drake Maye.
Still, it seemed rather evident that a Patriots roster marred by years of poor drafting, lackluster talent, and rudderless leadership was still years away from re-asserting itself as a contender.
So much for that.
New England is now gearing up for its first playoff game held at Gillette Stadium since the 2019 season, with Vrabel, Maye, and the Patriots looking to make good on one of the more improbable turnaround seasons in recent memory.