For much of the 2025 season, the Patriots were one of the few teams in the NFL to avoid getting hit with the injury bug, particularly to their top stars. That's uncommon in the league today, so it made it a bit easier for the former 4-13 team to string together wins, like a 10-game streak that didn't end until November.
Some of that came crashing down when players like starting left tackle Will Campbell and defensive tackle Milton Williams suffered injuries that required them to be placed on injured reserve. That prompted a lot of concern on both sides of the ball, especially about the offense and how Drake Maye would fare without the superstar tackle guarding his blind spot.