The New England Patriots are back on top of the AFC East. For the first time since 2019, they claimed the division crown in 2025, doing so with authority.
A 5-1 record against division opponents tells part of the story, but it’s how they won those games that really stands out. Their only divisional slip-up came in a wild game against the Bills, where they let a 24-7 halftime lead slip away - a game played without key defenders Milton Williams and Robert Spillane.
Outside of that stumble, the Patriots were dominant. Their five division wins came by an average of 16.2 points, and they didn’t just beat their rivals - they steamrolled them.
The Jets and Dolphins were on the receiving end of two of New England’s most lopsided wins of the season, losing by 32 and 28 points respectively. The Patriots completed a sweep of the Jets, including a 27-14 Thursday night win and a 42-10 blowout in Week 17 that sent a clear message: the rivalry might still be heated, but right now, it’s one-sided.
As for the Jets, they’re staring at a long to-do list this offseason - and it starts with their defense. While their offensive tackles are one of the few bright spots on the roster, nearly every other position group needs attention.
The Jets do hold two first-round picks, including the No. 2 overall selection and another at No. 16, thanks to the midseason trade that sent Sauce Gardner to the Colts. That kind of draft capital gives them a real shot to retool quickly, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Let’s be clear: the Jets' defense made history in the worst way possible. They became the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without recording a single interception.
Not one. They forced just four turnovers all year - all of them fumble recoveries.
That’s not just a stat; it’s a flashing red light for a secondary in desperate need of a reset.
Enter LSU’s Mansoor Delane.
If the Jets are looking to address their secondary early in the draft - and they should - Delane makes a lot of sense. Projected as a top-10 pick and widely considered the top cornerback in the 2026 class, Delane has the skill set to step in and immediately elevate a struggling unit.
After three years at Virginia Tech, he transferred to LSU and took his game to another level. In 12 games this season, he allowed just 14 catches - a 40% completion rate - and gave up only 13.8 receiving yards per game.
That’s elite shutdown production in the SEC, against some of the best receivers college football has to offer.
The Jets’ defense isn’t a total lost cause. There are some foundational pieces already in place.
Defensive tackle Jowon Briggs is emerging as a force up front. Edge rushers Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald have shown they can hold their own.
Jamien Sherwood is a solid presence in the middle. But the secondary has been the Achilles’ heel - and it’s holding everything else back.
Adding a cornerback like Delane wouldn’t fix everything overnight, but it would be a massive step in the right direction. And if the Jets have any hope of closing the gap with the Patriots, they’ll need to start matching up better on the back end. Look at how New England’s offense fared late in the year when facing elite corners like Devon Witherspoon, Pat Surtain, and Derek Stingley - they averaged just 14.7 points per game in those matchups, and Stefon Diggs was held under 40 yards in each.
That’s the kind of impact a true No. 1 corner can have. And that’s the kind of player Delane has the potential to be.
For the Jets, the mission this offseason is clear: rebuild the secondary, restore the defense, and get back to making life difficult for quarterbacks like the one in Foxborough. Because right now, the Patriots are pulling away - and if New York wants to catch up, it starts with getting a difference-maker in the draft.