When the Patriots come back from the bye week, they’re going to enter a world that’s different than the one they left.

At 11-2, the bar for them is permanently raised.

Coming into the season, making the playoffs as the last wild card would have been a dream run. Just playing relevant games after Thanksgiving would have made Mike Vrabel beloved. The dream for Drake Maye this soon was just becoming a top 10 quarterback.

But all of that is now the floor beneath a much higher ceiling. The AFC East title is a given. Maye is a real MVP candidate. Vrabel should be the coach of the year. Winning at least one playoff game is almost expected. And in a year when the Chiefs are down and Bills are vulnerable, it’s not crazy to think the Patriots have a shot at reaching the Super Bowl.

The Buffalo

See Full Page