Copyright Newsweek
Through two months, the New England Patriots have firmly established themselves as one of the NFL's best teams. After winning eight combined games over the previous two seasons, the 6-2 Patriots sit in first place in the AFC East. Drake Maye's fantastic sophomore season has elevated an offense that struggled to consistently score points since Tom Brady's departure after the 2025 season. The defense, fueled by an offseason spending spree in free agency, found its form, and head coach Mike Vrabel clearly established a winning culture once again in New England. The Patriots start November with two straight games against the NFC South against the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The latter matchup in Tampa will likely feature a battle of division leaders, and that game also falls into a window where the NFL can flex worthy games into primetime. If the Patriots and Buccaneers are destined for "Sunday Night Football" on NBC, the decision will be made soon. ESPN's Mike Reiss noted Monday morning that flex decisions must be made 12 days before the affected game. That means a decision for the Nov. 9 New England-Tampa Bay game must be made by Oct. 28. As of right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers are scheduled for the Week 10 "SNF" slot. The Patriots-Bucs matchup features two of the sport's top-10 passers (in passing yards) and potential MVP candidates in Maye and Baker Mayfield.
