The New England Patriots will next take the field on Nov. 11 when they host the Buffalo Bills, and they will do so with at least a share of the lead in the AFC East.

The game will take place just more than a year after the Patriots' first and only loss at Gillette Stadium during the 2011 season, a heartbreaker to the New York Giants.

In the moments after that game, questions were flying as to whether the 5-3 Patriots, who had lost consecutive games to teams that would eventually find themselves in the playoffs, had what it took to measure up to the cream of the crop in the NFL.

As it would turn out, eight weeks and eight wins later the Patriots had clearly established themselves as the dominant team in the AFC, and they ended up representing the conference in the Super Bowl.

Fast forward to the here and now, and the Patriots are once again 5-3.

And while the team has won four of its past five games, some remain quick to point out the team's defensive deficiencies and perceived inability to deliver a consistent offensive effort with the game on the line.

Has anything changed?