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Most important remaining games: Dec. 6 at Bills and Dec. 26 vs. Bills

The Patriots are surging, and if things continue in this direction, their two December games against the AFC East-leading Bills will go a long way toward determining the division championship. The Dec. 6 game is on a Monday night in Orchard Park, New York, and then the teams will meet up in Foxborough, Massachusetts, three weeks later. -- Mike Reiss

It almost feels like the good times never left Gillette Stadium -- they just took a one-year sabbatical in 2020 like the rest of us. On Sunday, the Pats rolled over the Browns for their fourth consecutive victory in a 3.5-hour party at Foxborough. Two days earlier, Bill Belichick gushed about Josh McDaniels, telling reporters he didn't believe the offensive coordinator "has any weaknesses as a coach." Then McDaniels dialed up a game plan against Cleveland that produced six touchdowns in eight possessions when starter Mac Jones was on the field. Jones was back in a groove in what has been the most impressive season of any rookie QB by a wide margin. If he continues to mature, there's no limit how far the Pats can go in a wide-open AFC.

This team is playing outstanding football on both sides of the ball. This might be Bill Belichick's best coaching job.

Not only have they won four in a row to vault themselves back into the thick of the AFC playoff race, the average margin of victory during this hot streak has been 25 points. Next up? The Falcons, who are coming off that 40-point beatdown.

Steal a player: Stefon Diggs, Bills wide receiver

As impressive as the Patriots have been lately, imagine what Mac Jones' trajectory would be like if New England had an elite No. 1 wide receiver, instead of the collection of 2s, 3s, and 4s with whom they're currently working? Considering the Patriots were involved in the Odell Beckham Jr. talks last week, it would make sense for Bill Belichick to want someone like Diggs, who has 750 yards and four touchdowns this year, and has recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards each of the past three seasons.