Patriots 2025-26 Season

[Redz]

AFC EAST CHAMPS COMING BACK TO FOXBORO!

New England Patriots clinched division for the first time since 2019!

Amazing run!

Such a fun team

[Vermont Green]

Unbelievable that this team has clinched the division and is in the hunt for the best record in the entire league.  Yes, the Pats did have the easiest schedule of any team and that is a consideration, but this is a remarkable turnaround.

As to the playoff seeding, right now, we would host BUF in the first round, but that is probably not how it will end up.  The simplest scenarios are based on either DEN beats LAC or LAC beats DEN, with the assumption that BUF beats NYJ and Pats beat MIA.  If DEN wins, LAC would drop behind BUF and be the #7 and Pats would host LAC in the first round, and then play JAX or BUF.  If LAC beats DEN, Pats are the #1 and get the bye, and their first playoff game would likely be HOU but could be PIT or BAL.

It is not certain that NE will take care of business vs. MIA.  Losing to MIA means that the Pats will the 2 or 3 seed and the only real difference is that it could be one more team (JAX) where they would not have home field.  They would probably still play BUF or LAC in the first round but then potentially have to go to JAX for the next round (this assumes JAX beat TEN in their final game).

I still have to pinch myself that I am really thinking about these playoff scenarios for this team.

[Phantom255x]

Unbelievable that this team has clinched the division and is in the hunt for the best record in the entire league.  Yes, the Pats did have the easiest schedule of any team and that is a consideration, but this is a remarkable turnaround.

As to the playoff seeding, right now, we would host BUF in the first round, but that is probably not how it will end up.  The simplest scenarios are based on either DEN beats LAC or LAC beats DEN, with the assumption that BUF beats NYJ and Pats beat MIA.  If DEN wins, LAC would drop behind BUF and be the #7 and Pats would host LAC in the first round, and then play JAX or BUF.  If LAC beats DEN, Pats are the #1 and get the bye, and their first playoff game would likely be HOU but could be PIT or BAL.

It is not certain that NE will take care of business vs. MIA.  Losing to MIA means that the Pats will the 2 or 3 seed and the only real difference is that it could be one more team (JAX) where they would not have home field.  They would probably still play BUF or LAC in the first round but then potentially have to go to JAX for the next round (this assumes JAX beat TEN in their final game).

I still have to pinch myself that I am really thinking about these playoff scenarios for this team.

Yeah I will say, it's a lot funner discussing these playoff scenarios and seeding as opposed to the last two years having to just talk draft position, tanking, etc.

The doomsday scenario that does exist though is, DEN + NE win, but BUF rests Allen and everyone else and loses their Week 18 game to NYJ (similar to how they lost Week 18 last year to the Jerod Mayo Patriots), and then BUF stays the 7 seed and faces us in the wild card.

Does Buffalo try to orchestrate it where they face us in the wild card and not JAX? It seems very likely 6 seed goes to JAX, while 7 seed goes to NE. BUF will finish 6 or 7 probably while HOU is 5 unless they blow it against the Colts next week.

[Vermont Green]

Unbelievable that this team has clinched the division and is in the hunt for the best record in the entire league.  Yes, the Pats did have the easiest schedule of any team and that is a consideration, but this is a remarkable turnaround.

As to the playoff seeding, right now, we would host BUF in the first round, but that is probably not how it will end up.  The simplest scenarios are based on either DEN beats LAC or LAC beats DEN, with the assumption that BUF beats NYJ and Pats beat MIA.  If DEN wins, LAC would drop behind BUF and be the #7 and Pats would host LAC in the first round, and then play JAX or BUF.  If LAC beats DEN, Pats are the #1 and get the bye, and their first playoff game would likely be HOU but could be PIT or BAL.

It is not certain that NE will take care of business vs. MIA.  Losing to MIA means that the Pats will the 2 or 3 seed and the only real difference is that it could be one more team (JAX) where they would not have home field.  They would probably still play BUF or LAC in the first round but then potentially have to go to JAX for the next round (this assumes JAX beat TEN in their final game).

I still have to pinch myself that I am really thinking about these playoff scenarios for this team.

Yeah I will say, it's a lot funner discussing these playoff scenarios and seeding as opposed to the last two years having to just talk draft position, tanking, etc.

The doomsday scenario that does exist though is, DEN + NE win, but BUF rests Allen and everyone else and loses their Week 18 game to NYJ (similar to how they lost Week 18 last year to the Jerod Mayo Patriots), and then BUF stays the 7 seed and faces us in the wild card.

Does Buffalo try to orchestrate it where they face us in the wild card and not JAX? It seems very likely 6 seed goes to JAX, while 7 seed goes to NE. BUF will finish 6 or 7 probably while HOU is 5 unless they blow it against the Colts next week.

That is a possible scenario but I would say it is too many variables for BUF to lose the game on purpose.  Even if they rest Allen, they can still beat NYJ easily.  NYJ don't want to win at this point.  They may rest Breece Hall for example, just to be sure they lose and don't sacrifice draft positioning.  And what if BUF did lose this game on purpose and then DEN loses?  Then BUF ends up having to go to DEN.  I don't think they want that.

[Donoghus]

Jets are currently in a 4 way tie with a record 3-13 and would have the #3 pick at the moment.  I have to imagine that unless Glenn decides to pull a Mayo, there is no way that team wants to win this Sunday. 

I think it'll probably end up being Chargers-Pats in the wild card with a lesser chance of Pats actually getting the bye.

[Redz]

Jets are currently in a 4 way tie with a record 3-13 and would have the #3 pick at the moment.  I have to imagine that unless Glenn decides to pull a Mayo, there is no way that team wants to win this Sunday. 

I think it'll probably end up being Chargers-Pats in the wild card with a lesser chance of Pats actually getting the bye.

The big question for me (with a chance to survive a 3-strike survival pool) is whether Jacksonville will show up to win over Tennessee next week.  Tennessee has a lot to gain by losing and the Jags might have some positional value in winning, but I still don't trut anything after the Pats final game last year,

[smicker16]

I actually could see a scenario where the Jags beat the Titans, Bills beat the Jets without trying, but Pats lose to the Dolphins.  In that scenario we would play the Bills still as Jags would jump us.  I think it is most likely we play the Chargers but this is a scenario I am a bit worried about and ending up with the Bills although so be it if that is the case.  At this point it really does feel like so many teams in the league are at a fairly similar level and it will just come down to one team being hot. 

[Redz]

I actually could see a scenario where the Jags beat the Titans, Bills beat the Jets without trying, but Pats lose to the Dolphins.  In that scenario we would play the Bills still as Jags would jump us.  I think it is most likely we play the Chargers but this is a scenario I am a bit worried about and ending up with the Bills although so be it if that is the case.  At this point it really does feel like so many teams in the league are at a fairly similar level and it will just come down to one team being hot.

Yeh.  I think the only thing that really makes much of a difference is getting that top seed, getting an extra week to rest and having to play one less game to get to the SB.  Regardless of when you play your least desired opponent, you're probably going to have to beat them eventually anyhow to get where you want to be, so why not get it out of the way.  All of these teams seem pretty capable of beating each other, regardless of who the home team is.

[SparzWizard]

It's strange, why is it that Boston sports always get the "easy path"...2023-2024 this was a topic with the Celtics where their path through the playoffs was "easy", and here we are again with the Patriots playing a soft schedule.

Why is it that haters/outsiders always like to pull this card as an excuse  So that when they win they invalidate it. Both squads were given the hands they're dealt with there's not much Boston could've done. Do they want them to bend over and lose to the inferior teams? We get nations like the Chargers and Jaguars itching to beat the Pats in Foxboro due to their 'soft schedule', and only argues that they've beaten only one team over .500 and it's the Bills, whom they also lost to recently.

 

[Phantom255x]

It's strange, why is it that Boston sports always get the "easy path"...2023-2024 this was a topic with the Celtics where their path through the playoffs was "easy", and here we are again with the Patriots playing a soft schedule.

Why is it that haters/outsiders always like to pull this card as an excuse  So that when they win they invalidate it. Both squads were given the hands they're dealt with there's not much Boston could've done. Do they want them to bend over and lose to the inferior teams? We get nations like the Chargers and Jaguars itching to beat the Pats in Foxboro due to their 'soft schedule', and only argues that they've beaten only one team over .500 and it's the Bills, whom they also lost to recently.

 

The "greatest show on turf" won with the second easiest schedule in NFL history to this day. No one seems to care about that fact either.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Rams lose to the Falcons and Stafford throws 3 INTs, including a pick-6. That?s gotta swing the MVP momentum to Maye, right?

[boscel33]

ATL beating LAR has thrown a potential wrench into the NFC south.  Even if Tampa beats Carolina, they don't win because if the Falcons beat the Saints and Tampa beats Carolina, they all wind up at 8-9 and Carolina gets the spot due to the tie breakers. 

It's going to be an interesting week for the NFC South teams!

Hope the link works:  https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6928097/2025/12/29/buccaneers-panthers-nfc-south-complicated-falcons/

[Vermont Green]

Based on the game last night, Drake Maye is now the favorite to win the MVP (odds below are one example).  I don't know, Drake Maye winning this seems early.  He has been great, but MVP great?  I am not sure.  Not that there is someone that clearly deserves it more.

    -450    Drake Maye
     325    Matthew Stafford
15,000    Caleb Williams
15,000    Trevor Lawrence
15,000    Josh Allen
30,000    Justin Herbert
30,000    Bo Nix
40,000    Sam Darnold
50,000    Jalen Hurts
50,000    Christian McCaffrey

[Donoghus]

Based on the game last night, Drake Maye is now the favorite to win the MVP (odds below are one example).  I don't know, Drake Maye winning this seems early.  He has been great, but MVP great?  I am not sure.  Not that there is someone that clearly deserves it more.

    -450    Drake Maye
     325    Matthew Stafford
15,000    Caleb Williams
15,000    Trevor Lawrence
15,000    Josh Allen
30,000    Justin Herbert
30,000    Bo Nix
40,000    Sam Darnold
50,000    Jalen Hurts
50,000    Christian McCaffrey

Although my gut tells me that Stafford might squeak this out, a guy winning the MVP in their 2nd season isn't unheard.  It's even happened a couple of times in the past decade alone.

[Vermont Green]

Thinking ahead to the games next week, who will rest, who will play.  I think the Pats will play everyone who is healthy, treat it like any other game.  It would be good to see Campbell get some reps, maybe some others that have missed time recently to get out there for at least part of the game.  MIA is no pushover, but unless the Pats make mistakes, they should be able to take care of business.

For BUF, I would probably rest Josh Allen.  I don't know the details of his injury, but just looking at him hobbling around, it seems like a week of rest would do him some good.  They ask him to do so much.  They should be able to beat NYJ even if they play Mitch Trubisky.  And it may not even make any difference in their seeding in any case.  I would not view this as tanking.

I would expect all other AFC teams to play to win with their regular starters.  Home games or not could be at stake.  If there are specific players that could benefit from a rest, like Josh Allen, that would make sense.