Patriots near one of biggest NFL turnarounds in history as they prepare for AFC title game

From 2001 to 2018, the New England Patriots were defined by 13 AFC Championship Game appearances, including one in each of the final eight seasons of that span.

After six seasons failing to make it back to the title game, and a span of falling to nearly rock bottom, the Patriots are back to what feels like home.

The Patriots, with Bo Nix's injury, are the favorites to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time in the post-Tom Brady era, which is impressive in itself.

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However, nobody could have predicted this after what had gone on in recent years.

In the first three seasons after Brady left, the Pats went 7-9, 10-7 (made the playoffs with rookie Mac Jones) and 8-9. But the 2023 and 2024 seasons both ended with 4-13 records.

The first of those was under Bill Belichick in his final season with the team after 24 years. After Belichick left, Jerod Mayo was given the job, but he did not find success.

Mayo was given the short end of the stick and let go after one season, a move that garnered a lot of controversy. However, it appears to be all worth it.

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The Pats then brought on Mike Vrabel, who has put himself in the Coach of the Year conversation after previous success with the Tennessee Titans.

The "1" in 4-13 was moved several places to the left as the Pats went 14-3, their highest win total since 2016, which was a Super Bowl-winning campaign.

Only four teams have won the Super Bowl just one season after finishing in last place in their division: the 1999 St. Louis Rams, the 2001 Patriots, the 2009 New Orleans Saints and the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles.

Those Rams are also the only team to go from four wins one season to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy the next. However, since they only played a 16-game season, the Pats could become the first team to lose 13 games and follow up with a Super Bowl victory.

New England has opened as a 5.5-point favorite with Jarrett Stidham taking over for Nix, who suffered a fractured ankle in their 33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills last week.

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