Can the Patriots Make it Back to the Big Game?
Source: Patriots.com
By Dwight Lin ’28
The Status of the AFC
On Wednesday night, the New England Patriots marched into Lumen Field in Seattle with a point to prove. Just seven months ago, the Patriots’ storybook run to the Super Bowl ended in a heartbreaking 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Fresh off a disappointing 4-13 record, the 2025 Patriots made a stunning comeback, riding Mike Vrabel’s revamped defense and Drake Maye’s MVP-caliber year to their first Super Bowl appearance since the Brady-Belichick era. With reinforcements added to the offensive line and the wide receiving corps in the offseason, the Patriots were expected to compete much more closely with the Seahawks in their highly anticipated rematch. At first, New England looked well on their way to a convincing victory. An injury to Seahawks starting quarterback Sam Darnold on the first drive of the game caused the Seahawks' offense to stall, leaving them up 10-0 entering the third quarter. However, the Seahawks rallied late, forcing three interceptions and turning what was supposed to be a statement game for the Patriots into a 13-10 loss. It was a frustrating start for a team that had spent the offseason trying to fix the same problems that sank it in February.
At the time of writing this article, the Patriots stand at 0-1 and face a tough slate of games, with the Steelers, Jaguars, and Bills being difficult outs. To make matters worse, the Patriots’ star wide receiver, AJ Brown, who was traded for a first-round pick, will be out for the next four games. Nevertheless, the Patriots still have significant talent, especially on defense, which played exceptionally well against the Seahawks. The offensive line also looked significantly improved against the Seahawks, with Drake Maye facing far less pressure from the Seahawks defensive front than he did in the Super Bowl. The primary issues that plagued the Patriots against the Seahawks were their lack of a run game and inconsistent quarterback play. Rhamondre Stevenson, the Patriots' starting running back, was largely contained by the Seahawks defense, held to only 2.8 rushing yards per attempt. The Patriots' other, more explosive back, TreVeyon Henderson, was injured Wednesday but should add a more dynamic element to the Patriots' run game when he returns against the Steelers. The main man himself, Drake Maye, looked uncomfortable and hesitant, repeatedly missing throws and throwing multiple dangerous balls into double coverage. Being outplayed by a backup quarterback, Drew Lock, was highly concerning and stood in stark contrast to Maye’s form last year, when he was praised as one of, if not the, most accurate quarterbacks in the league. If the Patriots are to make another run, they will need Maye to return to his MVP form, especially as they are suffering injuries to key receiving weapons. Ugly Week 1 losses happen all the time in the NFL, but there were clear warning signs in this game of potential regression on the offensive side of the ball. It will be up to the Patriots coaching staff and players to clean up these issues over the course of the season, and to do so quickly, as they play the sixth-hardest schedule in the NFL.
While the competition in the AFC isn’t as cutthroat this year as in the NFC, there are a few resurgent juggernauts that the Patriots will need to defeat on their way to the playoffs and Super Bowl. Most notably, in their own division, the Buffalo Bills have started the year on a hot note. After multiple years of underachievement with their star quarterback Josh Allen, they promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach. Early results have looked good, with the Bills dropping 36 points on the vaunted Texans defense in their home opener, then putting 41 points on the board against the Lions. The Patriots will have to play the Bills at least twice this year and must defeat them to secure a higher seeding and, therefore, home-court advantage in the playoffs. The Baltimore Ravens have also retooled after a disappointing season last year, and two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson had an incredible performance against the Colts in Week 1, with both their offense and defense looking much improved. Finally, the Kansas City Chiefs, the dynasty that replaced the Tom Brady Patriots, have looked to be back in form after missing the playoffs last year. The Chiefs traded for Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, one of the best running backs in the league, this offseason, and early returns have been exceptional. Walker rumbled for 173 yards against what was expected to be an elite Broncos defense on Monday night, adding a dimension to the Chiefs' offense in the run game that has rarely been there in the Patrick Mahomes era. Furthermore, talented teams like the Broncos, Jaguars, and Texans are looking to replicate their success from last year, while teams like the Bengals and Chargers have made major offseason acquisitions to their offensive and defensive lines to return to contending status.
So can the Patriots make it back to the big game? It is possible, but an 0-1 start and one of the hardest schedules in the league leaves little room for error, and a road to the top seed will most likely run through Buffalo, Baltimore, or Kansas City. Still, the Patriots have a good foundation in their defense and offensive line. If Drake Maye can rediscover the play that made him an MVP candidate, this team can absolutely be dangerous in January. If not, this first loss in Seattle will be seen as the first sign that the Patriots' turnaround from last season was doomed to be unsustainable. The chance for the Patriots to show which version of the narrative is real will come as they take on the next three games of their schedule.