How a shaky 1–2 start paved the way for a historic championship
In short: The 2018 New England Patriots began the season with back-to-back double-digit losses, a stumble not seen by the franchise since 2002. Yet, this slow start was merely a prelude to a season of record-breaking dominance and a hard-fought Super Bowl victory.
The season began under a cloud of uncertainty. After a victory over Houston, the Patriots suffered consecutive losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions. Such consecutive double-digit defeats represented the team's first occurrence since 2002. This early struggle left the team at a 1–2 record, a far cry from their 13–3 finish in 2017. However, the team corrected course, improving to 7–2 by Week 9 and eventually finishing the regular season with an 11–5 record.
Despite the mid-season volatility, the Patriots achieved several significant milestones. By securing their tenth straight AFC East title, they exceeded the playoff streaks held by the Indianapolis Colts (2002–2010) and the Dallas Cowboys (1975–1983). They joined MLB's Atlanta Braves as the only second team across the four major American sports to capture 10 or more successive division crowns. Furthermore, they tied the San Francisco 49ers' league record for the most consecutive 10-win seasons, a streak spanning from 1983 to 1998.
The postseason saw the Patriots navigate high-stakes matchups to secure their sixth Super Bowl title. After defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 41–28 in the Divisional round, they beat the Kansas City Chiefs 37–31 in an overtime thriller to reach Super Bowl LIII. In a rematch of Super Bowl XXXVI, they faced the Los Angeles Rams, defeating them 13–3. This victory allowed them to tie the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl championships in NFL history. Amidst the success, quarterback Tom Brady also achieved the record for the most career passing touchdowns, including playoffs.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 2018 New England Patriots season
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