The New England Patriots are legitimate Super Bowl contenders in the 2026 season, according to ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, who made the declaration on *First Take*. This isn’t just hot air, either. Smith’s statement came right after the Patriots smoked the Las Vegas Raiders 45-17 in Week 5, following up their upset win over the Buffalo Bills at Orchard Park the week before.
Winning Anyway: Patriots Are Shaking Off the Injury Bug
Smith wasn’t pulling punches when he backed up his claim. “The answer to this question, the Patriots are obviously Super Bowl contenders. There’s no doubt about that,” he said. He then rattled off a list of crucial starters who were out: Carlton Davis III and Christian Gonzalez, plus three other starters. A.J. Brown and Mack Hollins were out, and Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson even left the game with a knee and ankle injury, respectively. Smith highlighted that, even with all that, “And they still won.”
From 1-2 to ‘Top-Tier’: Maye Is the Real Deal
It’s a serious turnaround for a team that kicked off the season with a shaky 1-2 record. Now, they’ve clearly exploded into that “top-tier” category of NFL teams. A huge part of that? Drake Maye. He’s not just playing well, he’s looking like the MVP quarterback he proved he was last season. On top of that, their defense has been an absolute brick wall, consistently one of the most resilient units in the league. It doesn’t seem to matter who’s down, the Patriots are finding ways to beat good football teams.
The real kicker is what happens when these guys start getting healthy again. The biggest question mark for the Patriots moving forward has to be how good they can *really* get when their missing pieces hit the field. Keep an eye on star wide receiver A.J. Brown, who suffered an ankle injury in the season opener, as he’s reportedly nearing his return. If Maye keeps this up and the injured stars come back strong, Smith’s wild claim might not sound so crazy after all.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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