By design, and by good fortune too, so much has gone right for the Patriots during the five-game winning streak they carry into Sunday’s matchup with the Titans.
After losing to the Cowboys in overtime Oct. 17, the Patriots were 2-4 this season and 13-18 (playoffs included) since Week 9 of the 2019 season. There were reasons for hope — namely the rapid acclimation of rookie quarterback Mac Jones — but the timeline for sustained success remained murky.
Then the Patriots, in sequence, throttled the Jets by 41 points, neutralized Justin Herbert and the Chargers, and thumped the Panthers, Browns, and Falcons by a combined 94-13.