The playoff picture is becoming clearer with four weeks left in the 2025 NFL regular season. Nine teams have already been eliminated from the playoffs, but no teams have clinched a postseason berth. That could change this weekend.
The 2025 season feels like the supreme example of NFL parity. We're somehow sitting here in Week 13 with two teams hitting double digits in the win column: the 10-2 Broncos, who held on for dear life to beat the Commanders on Sunday night, and the 10-2 Patriots, who play on "Monday Night Football" against the Giants. There are bad teams because there are always bad teams, of course,
So we can agree that those mostly dull and frequently grim years while the Patriots crossed the rickety bridge to get from Tom Brady to Drake Maye were all worth it and then some, right? That probably goes without saying around here, but in an attempt at some humility, Patriots fans must remind themselves that there are at a minimum 25, and probably as many as 31, fan bases in the NFL that don't believe the Patriots suffered nearly enough after two decades of dominance.
In the weeks leading to Tuesday's trade deadline, the Patriots have been reported as more likely buyers than sellers, with a few key names put on the table as potential targets. Because they are short on running backs, need help with the pass rush, and are always open to adding more wide receivers, a handful of players have been circled as good fits this season.
"It was clear White fell out of favor in New England," Walder wrote in his recap of the reported deal. "He was buried on a strong depth chart, with Harold Landry III and K'Lavon Chaisson having nice seasons on the edge and Milton Williams and Christian Barmore playing well inside. "But considering that the 6-2 Patriots should be harboring deep playoff expectations," he added, "the compensation they received does not make up for the loss in depth. Should injuries strike, they might wish they had White back."
Looking at the Patriots' roster and how they have collectively performed so far this season, there are plenty of guesses about what positions they might target with the trade deadline right around the corner. Many have suggested they'll prioritize the offense, but the latest from reporters like The Athletic's Chad Graff suggests otherwise -and with some of the rumored names potentially becoming available, it makes sense.
The 2024 season is not one that most Patriots fans will choose to remember for many reasons, with one of the most prominent being their failed draft class. Beyond the impressive selection of quarterback Drake Maye, who looks to be their next franchise star, the rest of the group were almost deemed immediate busts. Despite Jerod Mayo and Co. targeting every position of need at the time,
Because the Patriots are projected to be potential buyers ahead of the trade deadline in a couple of weeks, there's a good chance they will be looking to improve some of their weaker positions before it's too late. They still have an estimated $54 million in cap space, most of which they'll want to rollover to next year, but there are a few players who might be on their radar.
On Saturday afternoon, news broke that starting pass rusher K'Lavon Chaisson would not be on the field on Sunday night, as he is still dealing with a knee injury that kept him away from practice in the days leading up to the game. That inevitably puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the defensive line, with an emphasis on the other pass rushers that will need to ensure Chaisson's absence is not too apparent, especially when going against a quarterback like Josh Allen and a running back like James Cook.
There are a lot of areas the Patriots need to improve upon, and most of them have been made abundantly clear through three games already. After their Week 2 win over the Dolphins, it appeared as though many of those issues were behind them, only for them all to be back in full force against a very beatable Steelers team.
Play of the Game: Tua Tagovailoa was sacked at the Patriots 37-yard line on fourth-and-12 with 53 seconds left. That completed a day where, again, the theme was lost opportunity. On the previous possession, Tua threw a fourth-down interception over the middle that was returned 20 yards to the Dolphins 38 with 2:12 left. Bottom-line: The Dolphins needed winning plays from their quarterback.
