It’s the most wonderful time of the year, especially for the New England Patriots.
Since 2001, the Patriots have built a record of 46-6 in the month of December while also winning 10 of the last 12 AFC East division titles and making five Super Bowl appearances. So far, this year appears no different. With a 34-31 win over the Houston Texans on Dec. 1, the Patriots improved to 9-3 on the 2013 campaign and ensured their 13th straight winning season.
After a shaky start to 2013, the Patriots are finding their form. The offense is now in rhythm with quarterback Tom Brady, much to the relief of the Patriot faithful, and Brady is finally syncing up with his young receiving corps. Tight end Rob Gronkowski has returned from injury and is again a major factor in the offense, while veteran receivers Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola have made valuable contributions as well. In addition to the return of the Patriots’ vaunted passing game, the rushing offense has found renewed life thanks to Shane Vereen, Brandon Bolden and LeGarrette Blount.
This welcome change in fortune has come slowly to Foxborough, Mass. After the team fell to division rivals the New York Jets on a controversial last-second field goal on Oct. 20, the Patriots staged a come-from-behind victory the following week over the Miami Dolphins and a 55-31 blowout of the struggling Pittsburgh Steelers to improve to 7-2. Coming out of their bye week, New England suffered a controversial loss on the road against the Carolina Panthers because of the reversal of a potentially outcome-altering pass interference call on the Patriots’ last drive of the game.
The hangover from the loss, which drew the ire of Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, initially carried over to the following week against the mighty Denver Broncos, a team that jumped to a 24-0 first-half lead following three New England fumbles. The Patriots, however, reversed their luck and stormed back in the second half with 31 unanswered points, taking the lead and eventually shocking the Broncos in overtime with a field goal by Stephen Gostkowski to secure a 34-31 victory.
Although New England benefitted from a depleted Denver pass defense and a botched punt return by former-Patriot Wes Welker, the Patriots took advantage of every opportunity presented to them. Hungry for a fourth Super Bowl victory, Brady called his team to arms and led the biggest comeback in Patriots history. It showed a clear cohesiveness and demonstrated how far this team has come.
With two consecutive, gutsy wins over Denver and Houston, the Patriots have shown they will again be a force to be reckoned with in the postseason. The Patriots are peaking at the right time, as the Super Bowl is now two months away. Another playoff run looms large, and with the stakes high, the NFL has been put on notice that the Patriots will not end the season quietly.
A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday, Dec. 2 print edition. Charles Surette is a staff writer. Email him at [email protected].