The Patriots took a hit in Week 9, but they didn’t lose control of the AFC picture.
New England’s 45-27 loss to the Packers on Sunday made the road tougher, no question. Coming off a Super Bowl berth, the Patriots opened the 2026 season with big expectations, and those haven’t gone anywhere. But this result was a reminder that living up to them may be harder than it first looked.
Even with the defeat, the standings still leave the Patriots in a workable spot. At 5-4, they remain in the mix for a playoff berth and, for now, still have the inside track over the other teams hovering around them.
The AFC East race is the trickier part. The Patriots do hold the head-to-head edge over the Bills after beating them in Buffalo in Week 4, but that only matters so much if New England can’t catch up in the standings. With four losses already on the board, closing that gap will require a strong push from the Patriots and some help from the teams ahead of them.
The rest of the division didn’t do New England many favors. The Jets fell 35-12 to the Chiefs, and the Dolphins, whose only win this season came against New York, dropped a 19-9 decision to the Lions.
In the AFC playoff standings, the Patriots sit seventh behind Buffalo, Denver, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Cincinnati. The Browns are the only other 5-4 team in the conference, and New England currently owns the edge there thanks to a better conference record, plus the strength of victory and strength of schedule tiebreakers. Since the two teams do not meet head-to-head, those numbers could end up carrying real weight later on.
For now, the Patriots are still in the driver’s seat for a postseason spot in the AFC. They gave back some ground on Sunday, but they haven’t given away control.
In Other News...
Drake Maye Faces Fresh Doubts After Costly Patriots Setback
Drake Mayes latest rough afternoon left the Patriots searching for answers after a 45-27 loss to the Packers, a game in which turnovers once again tilted the field against New England. Maye said after the game that his giveaways were a major reason the Patriots came up short, and the broader picture is getting harder to ignore for a team trying to stabilize its offense.
Through nine weeks, New Englands turnover differential sits at minus-11, tied for the worst mark in the NFL. For a young quarterback still trying to settle in, that kind of team-wide ball security problem only adds pressure, and it leaves the Patriots with more than one issue to sort through as they move on from another frustrating Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Face Big A.J. Brown Question Before Lions Game
After a frustrating loss, the Patriots are turning the page toward a trip to Germany and a matchup with the Lions that could help steady their place in the AFC East race. Mike Vrabel said the team is planning for wide receiver A.J. Brown to travel with the group, a sign that New England is at least keeping the door open as it sorts through its game-week plans.
The roster picture is not fully settled yet, though, and the Patriots will have to manage at least one notable absence along the way. Center Ben Brown will not make the trip, leaving New England to adjust its preparation as it heads overseas with a few important questions still hanging over the week. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A New Problem In Front Of Drake Maye
A battered Patriots offensive line took another hit coming out of the recent loss, with head coach Mike Vrabel saying starting left guard Ben Brown is unlikely to be available for the next game after going down with a knee injury. For a team already juggling multiple absences up front, it is the latest reminder that protecting Drake Maye has become a week-to-week puzzle rather than a settled part of the operation.
Greg Van Rotens return process is at least starting to move in the right direction, but the Patriots are still sorting through their interior options with the NFL trade deadline looming. Between the injuries already on the books and the uncertainty around who can actually line up and play, New England may have to get creative fast if it wants to keep its offense from being overwhelmed by the pressure in front of Maye. [Read more 🡒]