After a long drought the tide is finally coming back in. The Patriots are surging in 2025, extending their hot streak and climbing the power rankings after a dominant 31-13 Week 7 victory over the Titans.
This marked their fourth win in a row, improving their record to 5-2 and putting them alone atop the AFC East standings while the Buffalo Bills were stuck watching it happen from their bye week. For a franchise that endured a depressing 4-13 trudge march in 2024, what’s happening now signals a real turnaround, with second-year quarterback Drake Maye as the tide-turning force.
The experts are pretty high on the Patriot’s trajectory, especially considering its relatively easy strength of schedule ahead. Currently, New England is a playoff-bound team, steadily improving week-to-week. The players and coaches are vibing, and it’s hard not to rise with the flood of good feelings lifting this ship. Buffalo still is a good team and will compete hard for the division lead. The Miami flotsam and NY jetsam are dead in the water, but could still pose a trap hazard if the Patriots let down their guard.
Up next come the 2-5 Cleveland Browns who just ended a three-game skid. So far they are 0-3 on the road but I don’t think that skid will end in Foxborough. Drake Maye and the offense could be tested by Cleveland’s stout defense, but New England’s 3-game road win streak and home-field advantage have them as 7-point favorites. A win Sunday would solidify their status as a playoff contender, not just a spoiler. Hold on, tide’s coming in! Patriots win this one and cover the spread.
GO PATS!!
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Around the AFC East:
New England Patriots (5-2) vs. Cleveland Browns (2-5)
Buffalo Bills (4-2) at Carolina Panthers (4-3)
Miami Dolphins (1-6) at Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
New York Jets (0-7) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-4)
AFC Matchups:
Indianapolis Colts (6-1) vs. Tennessee Titans (1-6)
Denver Broncos (5-2) vs. Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1)
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) vs. Green Bay Packers (4-1-1)
Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) vs. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) – Bye
Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) vs. Washington Commanders (3-4)
Houston Texans (2-4) vs. San Francisco 49ers (5-2)
Las Vegas Raiders (2-5) – Bye
Baltimore Ravens (1-5) vs. Chicago Bears (4-2)
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9th – Pete Prisco (CBS Sports): Coach and quarterback. That’s the equation for winning in this league. They have them in Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye. [nc]
10th – Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports): K’Lavon Chaisson, a 2020 first-round draft pick, looked like a bust. Did you see his breakout coming? His career-best season was five sacks; he has 4.5 sacks already this season. He had two sacks and a fumble recovery touchdown Sunday. What an unexpected boon for New England. [nc]
10th – Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk): The remaining schedule is very favorable. [nc]
11th – Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): The Patriots are rolling with Drake Maye in full control of the downfield passing game and now also boosting the rushing attack with scrambles and designed runs of his own. The action is also rubbing off on New England’s young defense to make plays as well. [+1]
11th – Eric Edholm (NFL.com): Mike Vrabel’s return to Nashville was a successful business trip, resulting in a lopsided win. It wasn’t easy at first, as yet another young QB diced up the Patriots’ secondary in the early going, but New England eventually got to Cam Ward and held him scoreless for the game’s final 30-plus minutes. Drake Maye was matching Ward throw for throw, then blew past the rookie with another sterling performance. The only thing I didn’t like was a few of the hits Maye took. Otherwise, the second-year sensation’s precision while throwing and scrambling — as well as a better showing from the ground attack — made it a good game on that side. Four of the next six contests are at home before the Week 14 bye, and the Patriots are looking like a new operation entirely. The endorphins are flowing in New England. [+5]
12th – Nate Davis (USA Today): Crazy to think this team won three road games in three weeks, something Tom Brady never managed. Also, the feat requires a scheduling quirk − you’ll recall TB12 and current Pats coach Mike Vrabel were on a team that won all its road games in 2007, which the Drake Maye Pats also have a shot of doing. [+1]
12th – NFL Nation (ESPN): Unsung nonstarter/role player: DT Khyiris Tonga. The No. 3 option behind starters Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, Tonga arrived with a well-deserved reputation as a run stuffer. This season, he also has shown a knack for pushing the pocket as a rusher. The Patriots haven’t allowed a running back to total more than 50 rushing yards yet, and Tonga is part of the reason why. He served as a game captain in Week 6, with coach Mike Vrabel noting he “does a lot of the dirty work.” — Mike Reiss. [+3]
13th – Ralph Vacchiano (FOX Sports): The Patriots lead the AFC East, they’ve won four straight, their QB is playing like an MVP, and their upcoming schedule is soft. New England’s ceiling this season is getting higher by the week. [+3]
14th – Will Laws (SI): While it seems a little redundant for regular readers of the Power Rankings, the Drake Maye feat of ridiculousness is one of my favorite features. This week, according to the NFL, Maye became the first quarterback since the invention of the Super Bowl to log a 90% completion rate, 200-plus yards passing and 50-plus yards rushing. [+1]
14th – Diante Lee (The Ringer): If New England only wanted to be interesting this year, it needed to beat up on the bad teams it has on its schedule. So far, that box has been checked – save for a Week 1 loss to the Raiders that now seems inexplicable. The back half of the schedule will bring a few tough opponents, but the Patriots may have banked enough early-season victories that a 10-win season is within reach. [nc]
AVG RANK: 11.6 [+1.5]
