Check out which experts are still holding out on the Pats
The 2026 season has been wildly entertaining. For Patriots fans, the past five years have been a Bizarro-world existence. After the glorious Brady-Belichick era ended we were all given an “It’s a Wonderful Life” chance to see what life is like as Jets fans. Spoiler: It stinks.
Most of the experts have watched the Patriots’ rise and, after weeks of convincing, have been able to get over the easy-schedule hump that dismisses it. Diante Lee of The Ringer is a doubter. To be fair, I wouldn’t throw my grandson out on the thin, untested ice that is this new regime’s record, and bet on it not cracking under his weight. But I wouldn’t bet against it holding up either. It’s been that kind of year.
Heading into Week 18, New England sits with a playoff spot in hand, at the top of the AFC East and with the No. 2 seed in the AFC. One more game to go against the Dolphins and we can hopefully wrap up the regular season with an extravagant bow worthy of a 14-3 effort. Miami won’t be as easily steam-rolled as the Jets were. At 7-9, the Dolphins have won five of their last seven games, including a 20-17 win vs. the Buccaneers last week. One of the best things the league did was to put division games at the end of the schedule. Teams in the same division battle it out like brothers, even if they seemingly have nothing to play for. The Pats are listed as 11-point favorites, but just getting the win — and escaping without injury, is enough for me.
GO PATS!!
Around the AFC East:
New England Patriots (13-3) vs. Miami Dolphins (7-9)
Buffalo Bills (11-5) vs. New York Jets (3-13)
AFC Matchups:
Denver Broncos (13-3) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5)
Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) vs. Tennessee Titans (3-13)
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) vs. Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
Houston Texans (11-5) vs. Indianapolis Colts (8-8)
Cincinnati Bengals (6-10) vs. Cleveland Browns (4-12)
Kansas City Chiefs (6-10) at Las Vegas Raiders (2-14)
2nd –Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News):The Patriots are rolling again with Drake Maye picking apart bad pass defenses with plenty more help from the running game. They’re tuning up in the right way for the playoffs to lean more on the experience of Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels. [nc]
2nd –Pete Prisco (CBS Sports):They won the AFC East and now have to hope the Broncos lose while they beat the Dolphins to be the AFC’s top seed. Drake Maye stated his MVP case loudly against the Jets. [nc]
2nd –NFL Nation (ESPN):What we learned this season: Quarterback Drake Maye is “him.” Maye is second behind Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in MVP odds, according to DraftKings, and leads the NFL in completion percentage (71.7%) and QBR (76.5). Undrafted rookie wide receiver Efton Chism III was the recipient of Maye’s fifth touchdown pass Sunday and pointed at him in celebration. “I said, ‘You’re him!’ probably three or four times,” Chism relayed. “I think everyone sees how great he is and how well he’s playing, but he’ll probably never say it about himself. He’s a humble guy and I respect and appreciate that about him, so if I get an opportunity to tell him, I want to in that moment.” — Mike Reiss. [+2]
2nd –Ralph Vacchiano (FOX Sports):Bill Belichick had to be (secretly) proud of what they did to the Jets on Sunday. The rest of New England is proud they finally broke the stranglehold the Bills had on the AFC East title. [nc]
2nd –Eric Edholm (NFL.com):The Patriots’ blowout of the Jets and the Bills’ loss to the Eagles gave New England its first division title since the Brady-Belichick era. Always nice to sit your starting QB with a quarter and a half remaining. Drake Maye will be in the MVP running, and Mike Vrabel has to be on the short list for Coach of the Year, but the Patriots have their sights set higher than hats, T-shirts and individual awards. The AFC feels completely open, and New England figures to get important players back on offense (including WR Kayshon Boutte and OLs Will Campbell and Jared Wilson) and defense (DT Milton Williams and LB Robert Spillane). WR Mack Hollins and OLB Harold Landry III are big losses if they can’t get right, but this Patriots team has a talented, well-coached roster with nothing to lose and everything to gain. A third test against the Bills almost feels preordained, but if the Pats beat them, who is definitely stopping New England on the AFC side? [nc]
2nd –Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk):They could have scored 100 against the Jets, if they wanted. [+2]
3rd –Nate Davis (USA Today):Why aren’t they No. 1 … even though they might wind up there in the overall AFC standings? Drake Maye looks like a future MVP … and maybe even the next one if Stafford loses enough momentum. But this is an inexperienced squad that’s benefited from a weak schedule − one of its 13 wins against opponents that currently have a winning record. Are the Next Gen Pats ready to win big now? TBD. [+2]
3rd –Conor Orr (SI):Drake Maye has all but buttoned up the MVP award—a stunning development just a season after New England was staring down a total identity crisis. [+2]
3rd –Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports):Drake Maye was already having an MVP-level season. Then in the last two weeks he has gotten better, at least statistically. He threw for a career-best 380 yards in a comeback win over the Ravens and a career-best five touchdowns Sunday against a moribund Jets team. He had never thrown for more than 294 yards or three touchdowns in a game before two weeks ago. The great coach/quarterback combination can go a long way in the playoffs, and the Patriots have that. [+1]
5th –Diante Lee (The Ringer):All I can see when I look at these Patriots is the 2019 Ravens. The Patriots have made the leap from AFC doormat to one of the best teams in the conference, and that makes them one of the most entertaining stories of this season. QB Drake Maye shouldn’t be lower than third on any MVP ballot, and this team is clearly good enough to beat up on bad teams. But of all the teams in this conference’s playoff field, New England to me seems the most vulnerable to a bad outing. The defense is fine, but not fantastic. The receivers are tough but not dynamic (outside of 32-year-old Stefon Diggs). I want to see if their run game holds up against real playoff competition. Maybe I’m wrong and New England is a team of destiny, but I haven’t seen enough just yet. [nc]
AVG RANK: 2.6 [-0.9]
Category: General Sports
