The New England Patriots returned to Gillette Stadium after a Week 13 bye week on Monday, and did so in second place in the AFC with their 11 wins tied for the most in football.

A rapid turnaround under head coach Mike Vrabel now has the Patriots playing for the AFC East championship this weekend and in position to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2021. With sophomore quarterback Drake Maye in the MVP conversation and the discussion around the team now eyeing wins in January and February, their still remains concerns on the field that could prevent them from getting there.

Here are the three areas we’re watching for improvement coming out of the bye.

Run game

An elite Patriots run defense did not allow an opposing running back to eclipse the 50-yard mark for the first ni

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