Patriots: Synopsis on the 2025 AFC Regular Season

The Patriots entered the final week of the regular season with an outside chance at securing home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. They handled their part convincingly with a 38–10 win over the Dolphins, but the outcome of the Broncos’ 19–3 victory over the Chargers locked New England into the No. 2 seed. As a result, the Patriots will host the Chargers in the wild-card round next weekend, setting up an opportunity for the Pats to show Los Angeles why they should have tried against Denver.

New England also closed the year as AFC East champions, finishing 14–3 and recording the sixth 14-win season in franchise history, an NFL record. Buffalo finished second in the division at 12–5 after dominating the Jets 35–8. The Dolphins ended at 7–10, while the Jets finished 3–14, making history as the first team in the modern era to complete a season without recording a single interception.

Across the AFC, the Broncos claimed the top seed at 14–3, followed by the Patriots and the Jaguars at 13–4. The remaining playoff field includes the Texans and Bills, both 12–5, along with the Steelers and Chargers. The Jaguars will face the Bills in the wild-card round, while the Texans will take on the AFC North champion, Pittsburgh, who beat Baltimore thanks to a final kick missed field goal.

At the bottom of the standings, the Raiders secured the first overall pick in the upcoming draft despite a late-season win over the Chiefs. The Jets, also in need of a quarterback, will select second, highlighting the contrast between the conference’s playoff contenders and its rebuilding teams.