As the New England Patriots enter their Week 12 matchup with a 9-2 record, the doubters are rushing out to scream to the masses that they are not a credible team and will inevitably be an illegitimate threat in the playoffs.
Despite how well they have played, especially Drake Maye, they're not being taken seriously this year because of their schedule, which is casting them as "fool's gold," according to analysts like Cam Newton. He has had the harshest critiques so far, but more in the NFL world are starting to regurgitate the same talking points.