During their dynasty years, the New England Patriots posted some of the most impressive streaks and statistical accomplishments you’ll ever see in professional sports. Many of those streaks have been snapped since Tom Brady left in 2020, but a few remain, including one that continued with Sunday’s road upset of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Impressive Patriots Streak Lives On After Win Over Bengals
Entering Week 1, the Patriots had won 49 consecutive games in which it led by at least 10 points at halftime, according to SportRadar360. The Patriots on Sunday entered halftime nursing a 10-0 lead at Paycor Stadium.
New England held on to kick off the Jerod Mayo era in stunning fashion. The impressive streak now stands at 50 consecutive wins, by far the longest active streak in the NFL.
The second-longest active streak belongs to the Miami Dolphins, who’ve won 20 consecutive games in which they led by 10 or more points at halftime. Interestingly, the Dolphins are the last team to beat the Patriots when trailing by double-digits at the half, having done so in 2014 when they erased a 20-10 deficit at home.
New England’s streak is the ninth-longest since 1920 and the seventh-longest in the Super Bowl era. You can see the full list in the SportRadar graphic below.
So, does this Patriots team have what it takes to extend the streak through 2024?
They’re off to a good start, but they remain a rebuilding team with a daunting schedule.
What’s the Patriots’ Remaining Schedule?
Here’s New England’s full remaining schedule (all times ET):
Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks (Sept. 15, 1 p.m. on FOX)
Week 3: at New York Jets (Thu. Sept. 19, 8:15 on Prime Video)
Week 4: at San Francisco 49ers (Sept. 29, 4:05 p.m. on FOX)
Week 5: vs. Miami Dolphins (Oct. 6, 1 p.m. on FOX)
Week 6: vs. Houston Texans (Oct. 13, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 7: at Jacksonville Jaguars in London (Oct. 20, 9:30 a.m. on NFL Network)
Week 8: vs. New York Jets (Oct. 27, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 9: at Tennessee Titans (Nov. 3, 1 p.m. on FOX)
Week 10: at Chicago Bears (Nov. 10, 1 p.m. on FOX)
Week 11: vs. Los Angeles Rams (No. 17, 1 p.m. on FOX)
Week 12: at Miami Dolphins (No. 24, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 13: vs. Indianapolis Colts (Dec. 1, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 14: BYE
Week 15: at Arizona Cardinals (Dec. 15, 4:25 p.m. on CBS)
Week 16: at Buffalo Bills (Dec. 22, 1 p.m. on CBS)
Week 17: vs. Los Angeles Chargers (TBA)
Week 18: vs. Buffalo Bills (TBA)
On paper, that’s a rough slate. However, we have no idea what any of the teams will look like by the time the Patriots play them, and some of the timing could work in New England’s favor — as it did in Week 1.
For example, a 1 p.m. ET start is a brutal kickoff time for West Coast teams and is something the Rams will experience when they visit the Patriots in Week 11. New England also will visit Miami in late November when the humidity shouldn’t be quite as oppressive, and Week 3 is a better time to get a still-rusty Aaron Rodgers than later in the season.
Regardless, the Patriots have their work cut out for them. And even if they exceed expectations, they might not lead any games by 10 or more points at halftime.