Where do the New England Patriots stand in the 2025 NFL Playoff picture after the team's bye in Week 14?
With four games left in the 2025 NFL regular season, the New England Patriots and head coach Mike Vrabel find themselves in a heated race for the No. 1 seed in the upcoming 2025 NFL Playoff picture.
As of now, the Patriots currently possess the No. 2 seed in the AFC, as the Denver Broncos managed to jump New England in the standings after a massive Week 14 win against the Las Vegas Raiders.
With both teams sitting at 11-2, the Broncos get the upper hand over the Patriots due to Denver having a better win percentage against AFC opponents.
This means that New England’s Week 15 matchup against the Buffalo Bills will be important for the team’s playoff positioning, as a win would give the Patriots a 6-2 record against conference opponents.
In the Patriots’ last matchup against the Bills, the combination of stout defensive play and quarterback Drake Maye led to the team’s 23-20 win against their long-hated rivals.
The game helped solidify Maye’s MVP campaign, as the second-year gunslinger completed 22 of his 30 pass attempts for 273 yards.
Luckily for New England, the Broncos have three more AFC matchups this season against three teams that are fighting for a spot in the playoffs.
Denver closes the regular season with games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Los Angeles Chargers. This becomes a perfect opportunity for the Patriots to reclaim the No. 1 seed if the Broncos falter in the final three games.
One of the main reasons why the No. 1 will be important for New England is the simple fact that whoever winds up landing the top spot will receive a first-round bye in the 2025 Playoffs, along with the chance to play the lowest-seeded team in the second round.
If the playoffs did begin today, however, the Patriots would be set to take on the red-hot Houston Texans in the first round. Led by quarterback CJ Stroud and one of the best defenses in the league, the Texas have won their last five games, which catapulted them into the playoff picture.