It’s hard to believe now, but just two months ago the New England Patriots were in trouble.
After dropping two of their first four games, the Patriots looked like a shell of their 2016 Super Bowl champion form. Tom Brady and the offense were dominating, per usual, putting up an average of 32 points per game. However, their defense could not find its way, allowing 32 points per game and a league-worst 1,827 scrimmage yards over that stretch, nearly 300 more than the second-worst Indianapolis Colts.
This came just one year removed from a Patriots team that led the league in points allowed, surrendering only 250 in all of 2016.