Patriots linebacker K'lavon Chaisson charges into Texans QB C.J. Stroud during the AFC Divisona Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium. (AP photo)

The New England Patriots are scheduled to leave Sunday for Santa Clara and Super Bowl LX, but their road to the big game certainly began before then.

And they are all about the road, with several meanings.

The road being the only team in NFL history to be 9-0 away from home.

The road that as many have said was fairy smooth through the regular season, helping to lead to their 14-3 schedule.

Or the road through the AFC playoffs, as they faced three tough defenses, weren’t prolific on offense but manhandled three sub-par quarterbacks in a row.

Let’s take you through their journey, game by game:

SUNDAY, SEPT. 7

RAIDERS 20, PATRIOTS 13

A loss to Geno Smith and the Vegas Raiders? Now it seems incredible, seeing as the Raiders were bad enough to have the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft. But back on a sunny day at Gillette Stadium, it seemed more what fans were used to from a Patriots team that had only won four games each the last two years.

Smith threw for 362 yards and a TD, including nine passes that were over 20 or more yards. Drake Maye was 30 of 46 for 287 yards and a touchdown but also had an interception that led to the Raiders’ go-ahead score. Same as it ever was?

SUNDAY, SEPT. 14

PATRIOTS 33, DOLPHINS 27

The first of 17 wins, in place, Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami Gardens, that has been the Patriots’ own house of horrors. This one will be best remembered for the now-injured Antonio Gibson’s 90-yard punt return for a TD that had Patriots coach Mike Vrabel running right alongside him on the sidelines for the final 30 yards or so.

“If he almost caught me then I need to run faster,” Gibson said.

Maye, meanwhile, threw for two TDs and ran for another. It was the first time Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa lost to the Patriots in his career and New England’s first win over Miami since 2022.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 21

STEELERS 21, PATRIOTS 14

It was another sub-par effort at Gillette Stadium as Aaron Rodgers’ TD pass to Calvin Austin III with 2:16 left, plus a whopping five turnovers did the Patriots in, dropping them to 1-2. It wasn’t as of the sure-to-be Hall of Famer had a spectacular day, either, throwing for just 139 yards. “We don’t need to lose a football game to know that turnovers are very hard to overcome. They erase all the good things that you do,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said.

What Vrabel and many didn not know was it would be the Patriots’ last loss for nearly the next three months.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 28

PATRIOTS 42, PANTHERS 13

Two observations: One, this was really the game that gave you an idea of what the Patriots were capable of, the first of 10 in a row. It was sparked by a Marcus Jones 87-yard punt return, and Maye threw for two TDs and ran for another.

“What we put on tape last week was not what we want to do and who we want to be,” Maye said. “We had some different scheme kind of plays that kind of gave the defense some misdirection that I thought we hit right on the head and turned into explosive plays.”

The funny thing is this: Who would have ever thought at the time that this would be a game involving two playoff teams?

SUNDAY, OCT. 5

PATRIOTS 23, BILLS 20

While the win over Carolina, because of how much of a thumping it was, was impressive, anyone who saw the Patriots in this nationally televised Sunday Night contest in Buffao realized this was a different team than the last three years.

It was rookie Andy Borregales’ 52-yard field goal with 15 seconds left that produced the season’s biggest win, while Stefon Diggs had 10 catches for 146 yards against his former team. And Maye started the final drive by shaking off Buffalo defender DaQuan Jones, who had him dead to rights, and hit Diggs for a 12 yard completion. A game that no one thought the Patriots could win – except the Patriots themeselves.

“Just a really gutty performance by Drake,” Vrabel said. “Being able to come back and execute in a critical situation, and take the clock down and win it on our terms, that’s how we practice.”

SUNDAY OCT. 12

PATRIOTS 25, SAINTS 19

Another road win, as Lousiana native Kayson Boutte caught two of Maye’s three TD passes, the other being a 53-yarder to DeMario Douglas. New England’s defense kept the Saints out o the end zone with the exception of a Taysom Hill 1-yard run. The Patriots ran a ho-hum game’s fina 3:55 out.

“We will never not enjoy and embrace winning in this league, but I do think guys are aware of the fact that it can be better,” Vrabel said.

SUNDAY, OCT. 19

PATRIOTS 31, TITANS 13

There was a little angst as the Titans grabbed an early 10-3 lead in Vrabel’s return to Tennessee after being fired at the end of the 2023 season as the Tennessee head coach. But Maye turned in a masterful performance, completing 21 of 23 passes for a 135.9 passer rating, and his TD pass to Boutte gave the Patriots a 17-13 halftime lead they would never relingquish. Fans chanted “Vrabel! Vrabel!” late in the game. Ironically, it was Mike McCoy’s debut as Titans interim coach after the team fired Vrabel’s successor, Brian Callahan.

SUNDAY, OCT. 26

PATRIOTS 32, BROWNS 13

Upon returning home after three straight road games, Maye’s potential MVP-type season is coming into full view with completing 18 of 24 for one interception but three Tds,all in the second half helping the Patriots expand a slim 9-7 halftime lead. It was also a game in which Vrabel had the organization change up the pre-game festivities by using individual introductions, something they hadn’t done since before the franchise’s Super Bowl runs began in the 2001 season.

“The crib was rocking,” safety Jaylinn Hawkins said. “It was loud out there.”

The Patriots improved to 6-2, and continued the theme of a good team beating up on bad teams.

SUNDAY, NOV. 2

PATRIOTS 24, FALCONS 23

Finally, a competitive game against a team that was at best mediocre.

The Patriots had a two score lead but Atlanta QB Michael Penix Jr. tossed a fourth down TD pass to Drake London to make it a one point game just beyond the midway point of the fourth quarter. But Atlanta’s Parker Romo missed the potential game-tying extra point. Atanta got the ball back with 3:30 left but Penix threw the ball into the ground, called for intentional grounding, after his line snapped the ball early thinking they heard a clap, which may have come from the Patriots side.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s 24-23 or 3-2,” Maye said. “You can feel in that locker room that guys know we can play better.”

SUNDAY, NOV. 9

PATRIOTS 28, TAMPA BAY 23

Another road win for the Patriots, and this one was against a team many erroneously felt was an NFC Super Bowl contender. It also gave the Patriots a sweep of the NFC South on their schedule.

Rookie back TreVeyon Henderson had two TDs of 69 and 55 yards, and Maye tossed two TD passes. He had 147 yards on 14 carries for a coming-out party, more or less. Another rookie, receiver Kyle Williams, had a 72-yard catch-and-run TD. It was still close in the fourth quarter, as Maye tossed an interception in the end zone with 5:17 left, giving the Bucs a chance to march down field for a go-ahead score with new life. But Tamp QB Baker Mayfield, under pressure, threw a fourth down pass short of the marker just outside the red zone, and the Patriots secured the win.

THURSDAY, NOV. 13

PATRIOTS 27, JETS 14

It was the Patriots’ obligatory Thursday Night Amazon game at Gillette, a ho-hum affair in the rain that was another good Henderson game with veteran Rhamondre Stevenon out with aa toe injury as the rookie rushed for two TDs and had a touchdown reception. The win over their hapless AFC East rivals assured the Patriots their first inning season since 2021. Maye was 25 of 34 for 281 yards and a TD; the Patriots’ recent history of poor starts continued as the Jets actually grabbed a 7-0 lead. But with Justin Fields as the Jets QB, it was no contest.

SUNDAY, NOV. 23

PATRIOTS 26, BENGALS 20

The road success continued, but it wasn’t against one of the best quarterbacks the team was slated to face all season, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow. Burrow was hurt and it was veteran Joe Flacco at the controls. It was a tight game throughout, and Borregales’ booted a 52-yard field goal that gave the Patriots a 26-20 lead with 1:51 remaining. Flacco drove the Bengals down the field to the New England 26 but a fourth down pass fell incomplete .

The Patriots also lost the left side of their offensive line, as both Jared Wilson and Will Campbell left the game with injuries.

“That’s what the league is about — battling adversity,” said Maye, who was 22 of 35. “I gave them one early in the game and just battled back on the next drive. We had a lot of guys come in, make plays and help us out.”

MONDAY, DEC. 1

PATRIOTS 33, GIANTS 15

This time a Monday Night Football appearance, the first MNF game at Gillette in three years. The Patriots chose the national spotlight to put on their best physical performance of the season, capped by linebacker Christian Ellis’ hit on Giants QB Jaxon Dart, who was a yard shy of getting a first down, trying to extend the play instead of going out of bounds. The Patriots jumped out to a 17-0 lead and were never threatened, leading 30-7 at the half as Vrabel was on his way to becoming the third coach since 1970 to have a win streak of 10 or more games in his first season with a team.

SUNDAY, DEC. 14

BILLS 35, PATRIOTS 31

All good things must come to an end, but this was a tough one after the Patriots grabbed a 21-0 lead only to see Josh Allen lead the Bills back with three TD passes. Even after Henderson ripped off TD runs of 52 and 65 yards, the latter giving the Patriots the lead back, the Bills stayed strong as Allen led a seven play drive with James Cook running it in to retake the lead for Buffalo with 6:48 left. That was it as Maye couldn’t get the equalizer. Not only was the Patriots 10-game winning streak history, but it postponed their chance to clinch the AFC East title.

“We just have to be better when we’re up,” Maye said. “I didn’t feel like we relaxed, just didn’t make enough plays.”

Patriots receiver Kyle Williams makes a touchdown grab against the Ravens Marlon Humphrey during the second half Dec. 21 in Baltimore. (AP photo)

SUNDAY, DEC. 21

PATRIOTS 28, RAVENS 24

One might say the two biggest wins by the Patriots were on Sunday Night Football, as this one was not on the original SNF schedule for NBC but was flexed. The Patriots, down 24-13 in the fourth quarter, rallied as Maye hit Kyle Williams for a 37-yard TD and a two-point conversion pass to Rhamondre Stevenson. Then, after forcing a punt, the second year QB drove the Patriots 89 yards for the winning score, a 21-yard Stevenson TD run.

What was incredible was the Ravens’ lack of using running back Derrick Henry in the fourth quarter after he had helped give Baltimore an 11 point lead with just over 12 minutes left in the game on a 2-yard TD run. Especially after the Ravens had lost starting QB Lamar Jackson to a back injury late in the first half.

SUNDAY, DEC. 28

PATRIOTS 42, JETS 10

No contest in the Meadowlands. The hapless Jets were basically tanking with undrafted rookie Brady Cook as their QB while Maye threw a career high five TD passes and was done for the day just beyond the halfway mark of the third quarter. A few hours later the Bills lost to the Eagles and that gave the Patriots the AFC East crown.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 4

PATRIOTS 38, MIAMI 10

It was another slow start for New England, which still had a chance to get the No. 1 AFC seed, but they got going as Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 137 yards and Maye completed 14 of 18 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown. He was done during the fourth quarter, and the Dolphins, who trailed 17-10 at the half, were halfway to Cancun in their minds.

“We’ve come a long way,” Maye said. “We’ve built this identity and played to it, and good things happen.”

The Patriots ended up grabbing the second seed.

PLAYOFFS

SUNDAY, JAN. 11

AFC WILD CARD ROUND

PATRIOTS 16, CHARGERS 3

It wasn’t an offensive masterpiece but it didn’t have to be as the New Engand defense smothered the Chargers and QB Justin Herbert, a far cry from the 40-7 regular season beating Herbert and L.A. inflicted on the Patriots a year earlier. Maye threw for 268 yards but also ran for a team-high 66. He turned the ball over twice but the Patriots sacked Herbert six times and got a fourth down stop inside the 10-yard-line early in the game that set the tone. Andy Borregales booted three field goals. On to the Divisional Round.

SUNDAY, 18

AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND

PATRIOTS 28 TEXANS 16

As bad as Houston QB C.J. Stroud was throwing four interceptions in the first half, the Texans were within 21-16 in the fourth quarter when Kayshon Boutte made a spectacular one-handed TD catch with just under six minutes to play to clinch it. Houston turned the ball over five times and the Patriots were on their way to Denver for their first AFC title game in seven years.

“Just proud of the guys,” Maye said. “Battled the elements. This is New England. This is what we’re trying to embrace and we want to embrace all season long. Props to our defense, played a hell of a game. We’ve got to protect the football better, but we made enough plays to win it.”

SUNDAY, JANUARY 25

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

PATRIOTS 10, BRONCOS 7

This is one to remember. The Broncos, playing with backup QB Jarrett Stidham after Bo Nix shockingly broke his ankle late in Denver’s Divisional Round win over the Bills, were up 7-0. They had a chance to take a two score lead but on a fourth and 1 from the Patriots 13, Denver coach Sean Payton opted to go for it rather than kick a chip shot field goal. The rollout pass play fell incomplete, and two series later Stidham threw a backwards pass that hit the ground for a fumble, leading to a Maye TD run.

It was 7-7 at the half and then the second half was almost like a completely different world as a mini-snowstorm hit Mile High. The Patriots drove the ball over nine minutes to start the half resulting in what proved to be the game-winning field goal. Maye ran the ball for a game-clinching first down late. Incredible as the Patriots journey to Super Bowl LX reached the final stop.

(Some material from the Associated Press was also used in this report.)