FOXBORO, Mass. — A month ago, the New England Patriots’ season was on life support.
They’d just lost to the Dallas Cowboys in a high-scoring overtime shootout, dropping them to 2-4 on the year and 0-4 at home. Even in an era of extended schedules and expanded playoffs, another defeat or two would have all but crushed their postseason hopes before the calendar flipped to November.
The Patriots had been competitive to that point, but if they wanted 2021 to be anything more than one step in a prolonged rebuild, they needed to start winning.
They did.