After an underwhelming 4-13 season in 2024, the Patriots took a bold approach to reshaping the organization this past offseason. New England swapped one former linebacker for another as the head coach, letting go of Jerod Mayo and hiring Mike Vrabel to take charge.

The team then added a handful of veteran free agents, most notably wide receiver Stefon Diggs, defensive tackle Milton Williams, and former Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis III. Vrabel then appointed Josh McDaniels and Terrell Williams as his respective offensive and defensive coordinators, and suddenly, the pieces have fallen in place.

The results so far?

The Patriots are sitting at the top of the AFC East at 7-2, surprisingly ahead of the Bills. Head coach Todd Bowles and quarterback Baker Mayfield recognize why New England is a formidable foe, discussing their next opponent’s toughness in detail on Wednesday.

Todd Bowles: Drake Maye Is “Playing Out Of The World Right Now”

A team is oftentimes only as good as its quarterback. That rings true when looking at how the Bucs have taken to Baker Mayfield’s leadership and play a resilient brand of football and fight to the end. For the Patriots, the signs are there that Drake Maye will be one of the best signal-callers around for a long time.

Patriots QB Drake Maye – Photo by: USA Today

After a rookie year where Maye flashed promise, he has taken it to another level in Josh McDaniels’ offense. Todd Bowles gave the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft quite the amount of praise when asked about what impresses him about New England.

“[They’re a] tough football team,” Bowles said. “I think [Mike] Vrabel does a very good job getting those guys ready – crossing the t’s and dotting their i’s. They’re very tough defensively up front. Offensively, they’re huge. The quarterback’s playing out of the world right now – he’s playing great ball with his legs and his arm. [He] has a great touch and great feel for everything they’re doing, and they’re really on a roll.”

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bowles’ comments are justified, as Maye currently leads the league with a 74.1% completion percentage. He has paired that efficiency with plenty of playmaking, throwing for 2,285 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. Not only has he surpassed just about every statistic he compiled during his rookie year, but he looks a lot more comfortable as he has settled in.

“[He has] great legs – he really has a knack for finding the hole to run in,” Bowles said about Maye’s game. “At the same time, [he has] great touch on the ball, great arm strength, a great feel for the game – understanding where his guys are. I think Josh [McDaniels] has done a great job getting him ready to play and understanding how he has to play and executing for him.”

Mayfield also took the time to give the young quarterback his flowers. There is a lot he likes about him as a person and a player.

“First of all, Drake [Maye] as a person – I love Drake, really good guy,” Mayfield said. “But, just how he is playing, efficient. I think the down-the-field passing is something that he was really good at in college, and it is translating now. You can just tell he is getting comfortable. [The] game is slowing down for him, he is athletic – although he is a big guy – he can take off and run. He is using all the attributes that he has.”

Baker Mayfield Discusses The Strengths Of The Patriots Under Mike Vrabel

Not only will the Bucs’ defense face quite the challenge stopping a Patriots’ offense led by Drake Maye, but Baker Mayfield and the offense will also have their hands full. The year-over-year growth by New England’s defense starts with their transformation under Mike Vrabel. Vrabel demands a lot out of his players, with that being known in the ways he coached the Titans to a winning record in four of the six seasons he was there.

Now, he has his team looking like the Patriots of the mid-2000s – back when he suited up.

Patriots HC Mike Vrabel – Photo by: USA Today

“In his playing days, [he was a] real physical, smart football player,” Mayfield said. “He has translated that and those guys are playing really, really hard. They communicate well, they disguise well; On tape, it looks like it is a [Mike] Vrabel coached football team. They play hard and it is a good, sound defense.”

Vrabel has put his stamp on this defense, as they have improved from the 22nd-scoring defense in 2024 to the sixth-best this season. It has come from players you might not expect, especially as they jettisoned safety Jabrill Peppers off before the season and then traded away longtime starting safety Kyle Dugger. Despite this, they have more than made it work starting with a defensive line anchored by two forces.

“[It] starts up front,” Mayfield said of the Patriots’ defense. “Between [Christian] Barmore and Milton Williams, two really good interior defensive line players. From there, their defensive backs are making a lot of plays. They had some changes, a couple guys traded off, but defensive backs are playing aggressive because that front is getting some pass rush.”

Barmore and Williams help move the trenches and have received support in the pass rush from two other offseason additions, outside linebackers Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson, who each have 5.5 sacks. They are not the only outside additions brings some physicality, as inside linebacker Robert Spillane leads the team with 72 tackles. Spillane was coached by Vrabel during his rookie year with the Titans in 2018.

Now, he is a certified veteran thumper.

“[He is a] tackling machine,” Mayfield added. “[He] seems to always be around the ball. That is his study habits or just knowing the game and schemes; he does a really good job at that recognition of certain plays and just flying until the echo of the whistle.”

It is worth acknowledging the test that lies ahead for the Bucs this Sunday. The Patriots will not just roll over and look far from the team they were just a year ago. Thanks to Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye, New England looks a lot more like the powerhouse that has had a stronghold over the league for most of the 21st century. They are beatable, but that will only happen if Tampa Bay can match their toughness and hope Baker Mayfield and the defense are up to the task.

Watch The Pewter Pregame Show LIVE On Sunday At 9am ET

Tune in to Pewter Report’s Pewter Pregame show live on Sunday, November 9 at 9:00 a.m. ET as Scott Reynolds and Matt Matera get you ready for the Bucs’ Week 10 clash against the Patriots at Raymond James Stadium.

Can’t watch the show live? Watch it in the archives on our PewterReportTV YouTube channel.