The Patriots answered the bell once again. In a tough, hard-fought game against a very good defensive team, New England ran its winning streak to seven in a row, but beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28-23.
With the win against the favored Bucs, the Patriots ran their road record to 5-0 and opened up a bigger lead in the AFC East as Buffalo lost 30-13 against the Dolphins in Miami.
The vast majority of national media analysts have given little credit to the Patriots, instead focusing on the team’s schedule as the reason for their hot start.