Before the start of the 2025 season, analysts and fans predicted the Patriots would just barely improve on their back-to-back 4-13 seasons, with only a few boldly suggesting that they might be on the cusp of making the playoffs as a wild card. There was no downplaying the schedule; it was more about downplaying the talent Mike Vrabel had assembled for this year's roster.
Yet now that they have reached an NFL high of 13 wins and have won the AFC East to put them at the No. 2 seed in the conference, the "easiest schedule ever" is all that is being discussed by those wanting to discredit what the Patriots have accomplished this year.