Ultimately, all of what has transpired to this point in the season is all prologue for the next step in the process, which will start after the bye: getting yourself into position to be in position to make a run. To that end, the Patriots have done as well as could be expected. They’ll go into the bye at 7-2, and firmly in control of their division. They’re only one of four teams in the AFC with two losses or less. And if the playoffs began today, they’d have a first-round bye and home field for a divisional playoff game.