FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots allowed the fourth-most yards in the NFL during the regular season but the fifth-fewest points. How did they swing that? By being one of the best in the league at leaving the opposition disappointed in the red zone.

Patriots opponents scored touchdowns on just 43.8 percent of their trips inside New England’s 20-yard line — the fourth-best mark in the NFL and a significant improvement over the 2016 Patriots’ red-zone defense (52.8 percent).

Take out the first four games of the season — during which New England surrendered a league-worst 32 points per game and allowed touchdowns in nine of 14 red-zone opportunities — and that number drops to 35.1 percent. No NFL team finished below 36 percent for the full season.

How have the Patriots been so successful in what should be difficult situations for defenses? By employing an adage Pats fans have been hearing for years.

“We started saying that we might bend, but we’re not going to break,” cornerback Eric Rowe explained Wednesday. “Even if you do get a touchdown in the red zone, OK, we’re going to make you go 1-for-4. It’s not going to be field goals to beat us. Just when we get down there, everyone’s awareness heightens up, and we just try to roll with the momentum that we have in the red zone.”

During an eight-game win streak that stretched from Week 5 to Week 13, Patriots opponents went 8-for-24 in the red zone, finding the end zone in just one-third of their trips inside the 20. The Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers turned in solid red-zone efforts in Weeks 14 and 15 (5-for-8 combined), but New England closed out the regular season with a return to form, holding the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets to four field goals and a turnover on downs in their five red-zone chances.