The Patriots' Week 17 win over the Jets was a thing of beauty for many reasons, one being Drake Maye's nearly flawless performance, which set NFL records (again) with his accuracy. Beyond that, the win was made even sweeter when the Bills fell to the Eagles later in the afternoon, officially handing the AFC East to New England, after owning the division for five straight years.
The reigning champions went into the 2025 season expecting to remain atop the division, a prediction many analysts shared, because despite the ever-evolving narrative surrounding the Patriots' easy schedule, that was not part of the discussion throughout the offseason.