Mistletoe hanging overheard, ski lifts humming back to life and the Patriots defense rounding into form.

Yes indeed, December has arrived in New England.

Having held four of its last five opponents to 17 points or fewer, the Patriots defense has matured significantly from the group cut to pieces and then run over in consecutive September weeks. It's not top-10 material (yet, perhaps), but even the unit's worst statistics describe a slightly below average defense. Last season, New England finished second-worst in the league by DVOA.

This year's edition of the Pats defense has instead commanded opponents' respect. It deserves yours, too.

Sunday's knockout of the Vikings was their finest and smartest work of the season. Better yet, if history is any guide, New England's best is still yet to come. So how have the Patriots turned a corner once again?

Here's a look at their latest film against Minnesota and how it fits into growing trends over the last two months.

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NEW ENGLAND IS DISGUISING PRESSURE AS WELL AS ANYONE

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It was the only thing that slowed Kansas City down in the second half of their 43-40 shootout in Week 6.

It was the biggest reason why the Patriots could handcuff Aaron Rodgers three weeks later.

And disguise again served New England when it bottled up a Kirk Cousins-led passing game on Sunday.

The clearest examples of the Pats' deception were their 10 snaps of "amoeba" defense. You remember the look.

A single defensive linemen dropped into a three-point stance, linebackers and safeties milling about behind him. Mystery over who would rush and who would drop abounded. The Vikings averaged 3.6 yards per play against these calls and managed only two first downs.

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New England rushed nine different players out of the amoeba package, blitzing at times and playing coverage or sending the standard four defenders at others.

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These snaps were sharp work from defensive coordinator Brian Flores. He's unlocking everyone as a blitzer this season and driving New England's league-leading ranking in unblocked pressures, per Pro Football Focus. More than any other measure, that status speaks directly to scheme. And the Patriots have needed those designed hurries, hits and sacks this season.

New England does not roster enough pass-rushing talent to simply line up four linemen like Minnesota and say, "Go get him." The Pats lean on their sturdy secondary and the cunning of their coaching staff to help generate pressure. Earlier this year, those both manifested when New England leapt in and out of Cover 0 looks (meaning no deep safety) to bother Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers and crack their protections.

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via Gfycat

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via Gfycat

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In addition to the amoeba defense, Cousins was confronted with these looks, too. He also contended with late rotating safeties and bluffing blitzers at linebacker. New England did damn near everything it could to keep Cousins guessing.

And its defense is only getting better at the guessing game as the season wears on.

Said Kyle Van Noy of the disguise: "I think as we get closer and closer with the time ticking down to the end, we're getting better as a group. Everybody is comfortable in their role now and focused. We're ready to go."

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STEPHON GILMORE IS PLAYING AT AN ALL-PRO LEVEL

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No player single-handedly helps the Patriots achieve one of their weekly defensive objectives better than Stephon Gilmore.

When it comes to eliminating an opponent's top weapon, Gilmore often does so all by himself.

Stefon Diggs became the latest victim of his coverage crusade, joining Davante Adams, Allen Robinson, Sammy Watkins and others. The work Gilmore does on opposing No. 1 or No. 2 receivers is dynamite by itself and has earned him the highest Pro Football Focus grade this season among cornerbacks. But the flexibility it affords New England -- to either stick Gilmore on a top receiver or send double teams at him -- is arguably even better.

Take Sunday for example.

Adam Thielen's slot position made him a more difficult cover for Gilmore than if he aligned out wide like most star receivers. So instead of turning their outside corner into a fish out of water, the Pats assigned Gilmore to cover Diggs and tasked Jason McCourty with tracking Thielen. Defending the slot, McCourty could also have help from either an nearby safety or neighboring linebacker.

If Gilmore were an average cornerback, the Pats would only have been capable of eliminating half of the best wideout tandem in the league. Instead, they wiped them both out like no Minnesota foe has this year.

Gilmore allowed a single downfield catch to Diggs, whose productivity mostly came through screens. Cousins didn't attempt a single deep ball in his direction. The Vikes had learned from his tape the week prior.

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Without Gilmore, the Patriots would be down their best defender and a pillar of their pass defense. So it's no surprise that when he played his worst game of the season -- allowing more than 100 yards to Titans wideout Corey Davis in Week 10 -- New England lost handily.

That's how much Gilmore has come to mean to this defense. Forget All-Pro.

He's the Patriots' defensive MVP.

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NEW ENGLAND'S RUN DEFENSE IS PROVIDING JUST ENOUGH RESISTANCE

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The idea that NFL defenses must stop the run above all else is antiquated.

It's long been a passing league, and that goes for quarterbacks and their tormentors. Defenses must only provide speed bumps on the ground in order to be effective. This is what the Patriots have done.

Against offenses built on the running game, they've beefed up their personnel as necessary. Titans and Jets running backs to 3.87 yards per carry versus the Patriots. When opponents are led top-tier quarterbacks -- Andrew Luck, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and Cousins -- New England's yielded some ground to ensure it controls the damage done through the air.

Arguably, the team's last two home opponents -- Minnesota and Green Bay -- would have been better off trading a couple dropbacks for hand-offs. The Packers averaged just 0.1 fewer yards per designed rush than they did on pass plays. Minnesota -- owner of the league's worst rushing attack by DVOA -- gained 7.3 yards per rush over the weekend.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer publicly lamented how his offense strayed from the running game. But had they turned to it more often, the Patriots likely stiffen. They entered kickoff as the league's 10th-best run defense by DVOA and 13th by average running back rushing yards; rankings owed to their ability to limit longer runs.

New England smartly bet their NFC North visitors couldn't stay content handing the ball off and cashed out a winner.

Even for Minnesota it wasn't all hunky dory on the ground. Defensive tackle Malcom Brown drew two holds on rushes and Lawrence Guy -- one of the league's top run defenders this year -- made a pair of stops and helped bottle up two other runs.

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New England could certainly tighten up in short-yardage. But overall, it's providing enough rush resistance while keeping both eyes on the air. That's success in the modern NFL.

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THEY'RE GETTING BETTER HELP FROM THE OFFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS

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Soon after New England notched its first winning streak of the season with a Week 5 win over the Colts, we explored how the defense had rebounded through Patrick Chung.

New England was playing faster, more flexible defense through its dime and quarterback personnel groupings, particularly when Chung patrolled the middle as a linebacker. Then the Patriots surrendered 40 points to the Chiefs and gave up 31 to the Bears and had to rebound once more. The latest explanation for their resurgence isn't as closely tied to Chung or any personnel, but parallels do exist.

Against the Jets and Vikings, the Patriots trailed for less than three minutes total and were again able to live of out their subpackages. They also debuted a four-safety look featuring newcomer Obi Melifonwu alongside Chung, Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon. Once again, the Pats are playing fast and free because they've been able to play on their terms.

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Furthermore, they've been afforded a greater margin for error. Over Weeks 1-7, New England opponents enjoyed a shorter field than they've seen lately, with four opponents starting drives on average from their own 30-yard line or better. Since Oct. 22, only one Patriot opponent has posted an average starting field position better than its own 27.

That team, unsurprisingly, is also the only team to beat New England over that stretch: Tennessee.

The Pats' defense has turned a corner by drafting off the headway made by their offense and special teams. Soon enough, it might just return the favor.

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PROTECTION STATS: 15.15% snaps vs. Minnesota with pressure allowed

Rob Gronkowski: 2 holding penalties, 1 run stuff

Joe Thuney: 1 hurry, 1 holding penalty

Trent Brown: 1 QB hit

David Andrews: 1 holding penalty

Marcus Cannon: 1 hurry

Team: 2 hurries, 6 run stuffs

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PRESSURE STATS: 26% of Vikings dropbacks faced pressure

Trey Flowers: 1 sack, 3 hurries

Adam Butler: 1 sack

Lawrence Guy: 2 QB hits

Adrian Clayborn: 1 hold drawn, 1 hurry

Malcom Brown: 2 holds drawn

Kyle Van Noy: 1 QB hit

Dont'a Hightower: 1 QB hit

Team: 2 hurries, 2 run stuffs