Patriots enter biggest game since perhaps Tom Brady’s finale

Foxborough, Mass. – Quick-hit ideas and notes all around new England Patriots And NFL:

1. High Stakes: Wins the AFC East title if the Patriots beat buffalo bill on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), making it the franchise’s highest-stakes game at Gillette Stadium…

• January 1, 2023, when a 23–21 win over the Miami Dolphins evened their record at 8–8 and kept modest playoff hopes alive (they lost on the road the following week and did not qualify);

• January 2, 2022, when a 50-10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars improved them to 10-6 at quarterback mac jones‘ rookie season and they made the playoffs (they lost in the wild-card round on the road);

• January 4, 2020, when their season ended at 12–5 after a 20–13 loss to the Mike Vrabel-coached Tennessee Titans in the wild-card round of the playoffs, was ultimately Tom Brady’s final game with the franchise.

The answer may vary depending on one’s perspective, but for those who chose Brady’s ending, there is no argument that it is the most compelling option. It’s been a long five years for the Patriots, with their resurgence in 2025 being heralded by Vrabel, whose appearance at home on Sunday completed the high-stakes circle.

“It’s a great platform that we’ve put ourselves on,” Vrabel said.

In his introductory news conference as Patriots coach on January 13, Vrabel pointed to the division title as the team’s first goal. He also shared it with the players.

“Coach said at the beginning of the year: ‘Win the division.’ That’s what everyone probably says in their first squad meeting during the league,” the quarterback drake may Said. “It’s great how it came to reality and we’re here this week with a chance to do that.”

That they can accomplish it against the defending champions adds to the atmosphere of the big game.

“They’ve won the division five years in a row, so we’ve got something we need to pick up,” Mays said. “We know it will be hard to do. But we are ready for it.”

veteran wide receiver stefon diggs Added: “This game is a little different because you’re playing for something. There’s a lot to play for. Not every team in the league can say that this week.”

As the players walked out of the locker room after their final practice of the week on Friday, there was a mixture of excitement and a reminder among themselves not to treat their preparation, or the game, any differently than other weeks.

outside linebacker afernee jenningswho connects with offensive linemen mike onwenu As the Patriots’ longest-tenured player at six seasons, he touched that balance while enjoying the opportunity to play in such a big game.

Jennings said, “It feels good. It’s very important for us because we set a goal at the beginning of the season to win the division and host playoff games. This will be another step in that direction.” “We tried to prepare throughout the offseason, but not make it a huge moment now and just go out and do what we do and execute the game plan.”

2. Landry and Watt: Patriots outside linebacker Harold Landry III On Friday, he spoke with CBS football analyst JJ Watt via videoconference. Watt, along with Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Evan Washburn (sideline), will provide analysis for the Patriots-Bills game, and Landry appreciated the conversation as part of CBS’s standard production meetings leading up to the game.

“It’s kind of surreal, because when I came into the league, he was still playing for Houston and I just remember that we had to make sure he didn’t blow away the game,” he said. “You look up to him from afar, a future Hall of Famer, so it was cool to talk to him as teammates.”

Vrabel also touched on his conversations with Watt, whom he coached as an assistant with the Texans (2014–17), reflecting his respect for him: “Hearing from former players about what we’re doing and what they see, I think that’s always a good perspective. To think, ‘Hey, we’re going in the right direction’ and they see what we’re trying to do.”

3. Growth Mindset: Diggs, in his 11th NFL season, acknowledged the Patriots (11-2) came together faster than he expected.

“I’ve been on a lot of teams. I would say yes with all my heart,” he said.

4. Cool Digs: Diggs has had fewer than 30 receiving yards in each of the last two games, tying the longest streak of his career. This happened five more times, most recently with the Bills in December 2023.

This could mean he is due to have a breakout game against his former team, similar to Week 5 when he had a season high 10 catches for 146 yards. Regardless, Diggs said his focus is not on individual statistics, but on the unselfish nature of the team’s receiving corps.

He said, “I would never sit here and act like a robot and act like I don’t want the ball. Everybody wants the ball and wants to play at a high level, but it’s like seven dogs and a bone.” “You see guys out there playing at a high level, and treating every game like it’s your last game, you don’t know when you’ll get it again. There’s a lot of guys that can open up. It’s an unselfish [group]And you’re pulling for your brother.”

5. Emergence of Alice: linebacker Christian Ellis‘A devastating blow to the Giants quarterback’ jackson dart The Patriots were energized in Week 13, as Ellis went to the sideline before suffering a legal setback. The first quarter’s play, to some extent, highlighted the development the coaches have seen from the 26-year-old Ellis.

“I like his development right now,” linebackers coach/defensive playcaller Zak Kuhr said.

Ellis is third on the team with 54 tackles and also leads the club with 14 special-teams tackles.

“He’s really gotten better week by week,” Kuhr said. “The fact that he cares so much can lead to growth, but sometimes you have to live with that [say]’Hey man, it’s okay to make mistakes.’ At the beginning of the season, if he made a mistake, he was severely reprimanded. No one will ever be considered perfect. He’s fast, free, aggressive and playing within the plan.”

6. Run D Worry? Through the first nine weeks of the season, the Patriots allowed only 3.6 yards per attempt, which ranked them third in the NFL. But since Week 10, they have allowed 4.9 yards per rush, which is 29th over that span.

Trouble is also looming against the quarterback josh allenrushing back James Cook III And the Bills, who rank first in the NFL in averaging 5.1 yards per rush?

The Patriots’ slide somewhat coincides with the top defensive tackle’s milton williams Landing on injured reserve (ankle). Building walls, setting edging and flocking have been a focal point.

Kuhr also credited the Bills’ scheme, saying: “They mix it up very well and do what they do well, and they’ll repeat it. They have a cohesive offensive line, extremely talented running backs and a quarterback who can go the distance when he wants to. They’re committed to it and that makes it a tough game.”

7. McDaniels Sound Bites: Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was a guest on “The Schrager Hour” with ESPN’s Peter Schrager, and was asked to give a quick opinion on the players on the roster. His answers on two former Bills recipients now in New England:

• Diggs: “Bulldog. Grinder. Competitor. An intensity about him that’s hard to describe.”

• wr mac hollins: “Chess piece. As unselfish as I’ve been as a teammate.”

8. Henderson and Dillon: rookie running back treveon hendersonThe second-round pick out of Ohio State has at least 50 rushing yards in each of the last six games. If he hits that mark Sunday against the Bills, he will become the first Patriots player since Corey Dillon (2004-2005) to rush for 50 or more in seven straight games, according to ESPN Research.

McDaniels noted the “incredible attitude” of Henderson, who could not reach 40 yards rushing in any of the first seven games of the season. McDaniels said of Henderson on “The Schrager Hour”, “He goes in every day, every rep and does as fast as he can – which we know is explosive – and he runs back and is ready to do it again. For a young player with that mentality and approach, it’s easy to see why you’ll improve.”

9. Pats-Jets to Foxes: What caused the Patriots’ road game against the Jets to be switched from CBS to Fox on Sunday, December 28 (1 p.m. ET)? Here’s a quick recap, according to conversations with people familiar with the league’s thinking, that highlights the complexity of TV scheduling:

• The NFL had five possible games that could be played on Saturday, December 27 and ultimately selected Texans–Chargers (NFL Network) and Ravens–Packers (Peacock). So that means Giants-Raiders, which was one of five possible games that could have been selected, was moved to Sunday.

• The Giants-Raiders game could have been on Fox at 4:05 p.m., but that would have required moving early afternoon games like Cardinals-Bengals or Seahawks-Panthers to 4:05 p.m. on CBS.

• Instead, the call was made to show Giants-Raiders on CBS at 4:05 p.m., which meant the Patriots-Jets game would have to be switched to Fox so both New York teams could be broadcast in New York.

• An added benefit: It also allows fans in New York and Las Vegas to watch the Eagles-Bills game on Fox at 4:25 p.m. that day.

10. Do you know? NFL teams coming off the bye week — like the Patriots entering Sunday — are 87-68-1 over the past five seasons (.561), and are 16-12 this year (.571).