After a gritty 28-24 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, the New England Patriots are officially back in the postseason mix for the first time since 2021. But if you thought simply clinching a playoff berth was the end goal, head coach Mike Vrabel quickly set the record straight.
“We are going to try to win the division,” Vrabel said after the game. “We are going to focus on that. We just take it one day at a time, and whatever happens, we figure out what is the best thing for the team.”
That mindset tracks with how Vrabel has approached this season - steady, focused, and never looking too far ahead. And now, with just one week left in the regular season, the Patriots have a legitimate shot at the AFC East crown. It’s not entirely in their control, but the path is clear:
New England clinches the AFC East if:
- They beat the Jets and the Bills lose or tie
OR
- They tie the Jets and the Bills lose
Let’s be real - ties are rare. Out of 240 games played so far this season, only one has ended without a winner. So the Patriots know what needs to happen: beat the Jets and hope the Bills stumble.
And on paper, New England’s side of that equation looks manageable. They already topped the Jets once this season, a 27-14 win back in Week 11.
Since then, the Jets have spiraled. They’ve dropped four of their last five and sit at 3-12 overall.
The quarterback situation? Not ideal.
Rookie Brady Cook - now the third-stringer - is set to start, and his numbers aren’t pretty: one touchdown against six interceptions. That’s a rough stat line to carry into a divisional game with playoff implications.
If the Patriots can take care of business in East Rutherford, all eyes will turn to Buffalo, where the Bills face a much taller task. They’re hosting the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, a team that’s starting to find its footing again after a rocky stretch earlier this month. The Eagles have the firepower and the experience to push Buffalo to the brink - and that’s exactly what New England needs.
Kickoff for Patriots-Jets is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 28 at MetLife Stadium.
The Bills and Eagles will square off later that afternoon at 4:25 p.m. ET.
So here we are - late December football, playoff stakes, and a division title still up for grabs. The Patriots are back in the mix, and they’re not just happy to be here. They’re aiming higher.