The New England Patriots are officially back. They’re riding a league-best seven-game winning streak, and they’re winning some of those games by a margin.
That’s why, after watching them take down a very good Tampa Bay Buccaneers team on the road, some are finally convinced of their status as Super Bowl contenders. Notably, that includes Jeff Saturday.
On Wednesday’s edition of ESPN’s “Get Up,” the former star lineman gushed about Mike Vrabel’s team. More than that, he doesn’t think they’re a fluke:
“Yeah, [the Patriots] are a team we can talk about [as a team that can go to the Super Bowl]. You look at their schedule—they have a very favorable schedule. The way they’re playing, the confidence in which they’re playing with, the way not only Drake Maye and Stefon Diggs are playing, but their running game. You can see the way they have mimicked Mike Vrabel’s attitude. You’re watching Josh McDaniels develop Drake Maye. All the things are going right, and the defense is getting better, giving up less explosive plays. This is a team to be reckoned with. This team believes in itself,” Saturday said.
.@SaturdayJeff thinks the Patriots are a LEGIT Super Bowl threat ? pic.twitter.com/RsopsCGFxR
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) November 12, 2025
The Patriots did all the right things in the offseason. First, they moved on from Jerod Mayo, who was clearly way over his head as head coach and had seemingly even lost the locker room in record time.
Then, after replacing him with Mike Vrabel, the best available head coach, they spent their money and draft picks wisely. They knew Drake Maye was a special talent, and they surrounded him with the players he needed.
This isn’t a coincidence. It’s the product of a well-executed vision.
Of course, it’s still early to tell, and we have yet to see this team operate in high-stakes situations. Nevertheless, they’ve beaten some good teams this season, and they’ve excelled in most areas of the game.
The running game might still be a concern, but if rookie TreVeyon Henderson finally gets more involved, he could unleash a whole new offensive dimension for this team. The Patriots are for real, and they’re just getting started.
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