The New England Patriots pulled off something close to a miracle last week in Baltimore, storming back to beat Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens and keeping alive a shot at a perfect 8–0 road record this season. There was plenty to like coming out of that win. But when the league’s accountability report dropped Saturday, it took a little shine off the moment.

Linebacker Christian Elliss was fined $11,593 for unnecessary roughness stemming from a third-quarter play against Ravens receiver Zay Flowers. With 5:37 left in the quarter, Elliss came in hot, got hold of Flowers’ facemask, and twisted his head to the right. The flag came out, and a few days later, the punishment.

It’s Elliss’ first fine of the season. But it’s not the first time his physical style has drawn attention. Back in Week 13 against the Giants, he leveled rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart along the sideline on a scramble. The hit was technically legal, Dart was still in bounds, and Elliss wasn’t fined.

Regardless, Giants fans weren’t thrilled, even if they’ve grown accustomed to seeing Dart put his body on the line time and again this season.

None of these changes the bigger picture, though. Elliss has been one of New England’s most reliable defenders all season. Through 13 games, he ranks second on the team in tackles with 81, trailing only Robert Spillane. He’s also added three pass breakups and a forced fumble. He’s around the ball. Always. And that edge is not accidental.

“We play hard on defense. We try to bring life to this team. I was just doing my job and hit anything in the whites,” he said after the Dart incident.

The 26-year-old linebacker really does go in for the tackle like his life depends on it. And he’s not the only one who embodies this mentality in the Patriots. And that’s why New England might be on course to make history next week.

Patriots can make history vs Jets

The New England Patriots have been on a real roll this season, sitting on top of the AFC East and lining themselves up as one of the top seeds in the playoffs. That comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday pushed them into a spot where something special is very much on the table.

Beat the New York Jets this Sunday, and the Patriots will finish a perfect 8–0 on the road. They’ve only done that twice before, in 2007 and 2016. Both seasons ended with a trip to the Super Bowl. History isn’t destiny, but it’s hard not to notice the pattern.

The road won’t be easy once January hits. If the bracket shakes out a certain way, New England could find itself heading to Denver and Mile High Stadium, a place that hasn’t been kind to them in recent playoff trips. They’re 0–3 there in the postseason. Still, this version of the Patriots doesn’t feel like a team weighed down by old scars.

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They’re playing their own brand of football right now. What jumps out isn’t just execution, but mindset. They finish games. The defense finds stops when it has to. And when things tighten up late, Drake Maye has shown he’s comfortable making the throw that matters. Just look at how that Ravens game unfolded.

Funny thing is, you could say a lot of the same about Denver this year. Sean Payton has turned the Broncos into a team that leans into pressure. If those two teams do cross paths, it’ll be about who stays locked in the longest. And that’s the kind of game people remember.