With the 27-3 win over Arizona, the New England Patriots are off to their best start in nearly two decades. This is the first time since 1980 that the team has a 6-2 record, and the fifth time overall.
The Patriots started out 6-2 in the first three seasons after the NFL expanded to a 16-game season in 1978. They also had that record through eight games in 1974. Of those four seasons, the team went to the playoffs just once, in 1978.
The victory over the Cardinals also broke a three-year string of 5-3 starts for the Patriots. It also marked the first winning month of October for Head Coach Pete Carroll in his three seasons with New England. Carroll was 1-3 in 1997 and 2-2 in 1998 for October. This year the Patriots were 3-2 in October games.
