Only eight teams remain standing in the 2025 NFL season, and the New England Patriots are among them. The AFC East champions will play hosts to the Houston Texans on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, trying to advance past the divisional round for the first time since 2018.
Our full focus this week is on that particular game, but the other three are also worth paying close attention to. With that said, welcome to the latest edition of our Patriots rooting guide.
Saturday
4:30 p.m. ET
Buffalo Bills (6) at Denver Broncos (1): Go… Bills?
Rooting for a divisional rival who handed the Patriots their most recent loss seems counterintuitive, but the pick also answers the question: would you rather play a hypothetical AFC Championship Game at home or in Denver. For Patriots fans, the answer is clear: 74% would prefer the Bills to visit Foxborough than the Patriots to visit the Broncos. Of course, there are arguments in the other direction as well, e.g. rather going against the team with the worse quarterback over one who has shown that he can play winning football in high-stakes situations on a consistent basis. | CBS, Paramount+
8 p.m. ET
San Francisco 49ers (6) at Seattle Seahawks (1): Go Seahawks! The Patriots own the 49ers’ sixth-round draft pick from the Keion White trade, and an early playoff exit would help with the position and value of that particular selection. | FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes
Sunday
6 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Rams (5) at Chicago Bears (2): Go Rams! The same thing we talked about on Saturday with the 49ers and Keion White. The Patriots are the owners of the Bears’ third-round pick in the 2026 draft following a subsequent trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. The earlier Chicago leaves the tournament, the better for New England’s draft portfolio. | NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo
This article also serves as an open thread for this weekend’s games. Please head down to the comment section to discuss and share your thoughts on the games as they unfold.
