Before the 2025 season began, most predictions for the Patriots suggested they would double their wins from last year and, in the best-case scenario, be a wild-card playoff candidate, but to most, that was a stretch. Although there was a lot of optimism that Mike Vrabel and Co. would make an immediate impact, the belief was that this team was a few years away from actually competing.
So now that we're 16 weeks into it and the Patriots sit with a 12-3 record, a tie for the best record in the NFL, the goalposts have moved, and predictions for how their season will end are far better than anyone could have imagined.