Even though the season was only three weeks old, it felt as if the New England Patriots already had their backs against the wall entering Week 4. And while their upset win over the Buffalo Bills only gets them back to .500 and a game closer to the division lead, it might just end up a turning point in their season.
Head coach Mike Vrabel would not call it that. He did, however, acknowledge that the victory “gets us back in the race” — a sentiment he shared with both his team in the locker room, and with the media during his postgame press conference after the 29-26 victory.
“Our guys worked extremely hard this week, and we knew that it was going to be a battle,” Vrabel said. “I mean, Josh [Allen] is unbelievable. I felt like Drake [Maye] went toe-to-toe with him. We had a couple of turnovers that we have to continue to eliminate, but we knew that if we took advantage of some opportunities we’d get some too. They have an excellent football team, great staff, excellent players, and we’re lucky to get out of here with a win. But it does get us back in the race.”
Now at 2-2, the Patriots are still trailing the 3-1 Bills in the standings. However, Vrabel’s team does not only own the head-to-head tiebreaker over their AFC East rivals now, it also has built some much-needed momentum coming out of a relatively lackluster September.
And if the 2025 Patriots have taught us one thing, the momentum built by beating a talented Bills team on the road can sustain a club for quite some time and boost some confidence. The Patriots, fresh off a 35-6 blowout loss in Jacksonville, were in dire need of just that this week.
Vrabel’s post-game messaging expressed that thought as well.
“Everyone has to believe that they’re going to be the answer for why we’re going to get back in this thing each and every day that we come to work,” he said. “That’s what the message was and that’s what the message will continue to be. And whether that’s the examples that we can show them — other guys stepping up, other guys stepping in — but you have to prepare every week as a starter. You have to believe that you’re the reason — whether you make one play or 15 plays — that we’re going to win.”
On Sunday, several players answered that call. Whether it was Efton Chism catching the game-winning touchdown or Ben Brown going wire-to-wire despite being the third-string option at right guard.
“A lot for us to correct,” said Vrabel, “but I really just appreciated the way we competed and that we fought against a good, veteran football team.”
