The New England Patriots were expected to be sitting dead last in most NFL power rankings heading into Week 2.
Yet, under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, they shockingly knocked off the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 and started their season with a 1-0 record. Make no mistake, the Patriots are still a flawed team, but they look much improved from the 2023 season.
The offense still looks sluggish and lacking in firepower, but it's no longer a train wreck and an accident waiting to happen.
Perhaps the best thing they managed to keep from the previous regime is the shutdown defense that terrorized opponents last season.