FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It’s tempting, I know.
But just for a moment, don’t do it.
Don’t peek ahead to those forks in the road where one path leads closer to the Promised Land and every other to the land of broken promises and football dreams.
We’re not there yet.
We’re here: the end of a regular-season ride no one — and I mean no one — believed the Patriots could take us.
To 14-3, straight past relevance and back toward excellence. To a place that feels familiar, yet given everything they have been through, and everything they’ve put themselves through, more like fan fiction.
How was this possible?
Don’t ask the Patriots, who aren’t bothering to reflect beyond a quick recounting of their season as if they’re skimming their own Wikipedia page.
It’s on to the playoffs, and, sometime, somewhere, the end of the road.
“It’s a new season now, so we might not even enjoy this one tonight,” Christian Gonzalez said after Sunday’s 38-10 win. “Just get right on to it, and on to next week.”
The Pats will kick off next Sunday (8 p.m.) in Foxboro against the Chargers in the Wild Card round, where they might meet their end. Even if they win, reaching the Super Bowl will take winning a coin-flip game, choosing the right path, two more times. Maybe they do it, maybe they don’t. The odds aren’t great.
But nothing that happens next can touch what’s now past, and what’s past is a season worth of celebration.
Mike Vrabel just packed two years of a franchise rebuild into one. The Patriots hit on virtually every free-agent signing and plucked multiple starters from the draft. The coaching staff coalesced immediately. His players believe, and his culture is strong.
“I don’t ever want to have to play for anybody else,” rookie Will Campbell said.
None of this was supposed to be easy. Drake Maye wasn’t supposed to pack three seasons of quarterback development into a Year 2 leap. In fact, this wasn’t a leap.
It was a launch.
Maye might hoist the MVP trophy next month, a 23-year-old just a couple of seasons removed from leading a mediocre team in the ACC. The company he should join is rare, a club not even the greats could join.
Peyton Manning won his first MVP in Year 6. Aaron Rodgers waited until Year 7, Tom Brady until Year 8 and Joe Montana until Year 11. Drew Brees never won.
One of the few comparisons for Maye at this stage of his career is Patrick Mahomes, who won the MVP in his second season, a Super Bowl in his third and two more after that. But Mahomes is learning now, like all the greats do, success and growth are not always linear.
Where is he right now?
Mourning a lost season in Kansas City, where his dynasty has, at best, hit pause, or at worst hit a wall at 6-11. The fact Mahomes got hurt is immaterial to the fact the Chiefs were always bound to fall. And there is no guarantee they will climb back to the top.
What do you think Mahomes would advise Maye right now? Surely, to savor this.
Because to understand where you are, you must know, must appreciate, where you’ve been. Before his team manhandled Miami, Vrabel gave voice to this during a pregame radio interview when answering if the Patriots might rest starters in order to preserve their health for the playoffs. He all but dismissed it.
“We’re talking about a football team that won eight games in two years,” Vrabel said.
That answer came from the same coach who in the spring defined success as winning the division. Remember how far-off, how ridiculous that sounded? If Vrabel could fix the division in his locker room and cultivate a culture while leading a .500 team, that would be enough for Year 1.
Vrabel checked those boxes months ago, back when those inside and outside of his locker room began to dare to dream of a Super Bowl run.
Now, it’s time for these Patriots to run. And to celebrate every step along the way.
“It took everybody in that locker room, took every coach. I think it starts now,” Maye said. “This was one of the goals, (play) home playoff games, and this is what we wanted. It’s win or go home.”