What exactly is the New England Patriots' nightmare scenario this season?
The New England Patriots have been arguably the biggest surprise in the NFL this season, as they are sitting at 11-2 and in first place in the AFC East.
That's quite the turnaround considering the Patriots went 4-13 last year and had what most considered to be the worst roster in football.
But could things still do awry for New England this season? What exactly is the Pats' nightmare scenario in 2025?
Well, Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon doesn't really seem to think they have one outside of a catastrophic injury.
"They're playing with house money with the rebuild so far ahead of schedule, so only a major injury to a key young player who could impact 2026 would constitute a Patriots nightmare at this stage," Gagnon wrote.
There is no doubt that the Patriots are playing with house money, but at the same time, with the AFC being so wide open, they do have a chance to make a deep playoff run this year.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images.Drake Maye is an MVP candidate, the receiving corps has been surprisingly good and the defense has shown vast improvement thanks to New England's busy offseason.
Of course, the question is whether or not the Pats' lack of experience will ultimately doom them in the end. Maye is only in his second season, and the Patriots have plenty of other young players up and down the roster that have never sniffed the playoffs.
Regardless of what happens between now and February, this has obviously been a remarkable season in Foxborough, and New England has to be thrilled with its progress.
The best part is that the Pats still have a wealth of cap room to make some more moves in free agency come springtime, so it's entirely possible the Patriots could be on their way to building another dynasty ... or at least a perennial contender.
New England is fighting with the Denver Broncos for the No. 1 overall seed in the conference. The Broncos are 11-2 as well and currently own the tiebreaker.
The Pats will look to complete the season sweep of the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. That's definitely a tall order, but on the bright side, the AFC East clash will take place at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots can clinch the division title with a victory.