Road warrior Patriots head home eyeing AFC's top seed in regular-season finale

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots are AFC East champions again and will head into the final week of the regular season with a shot at the conference’s No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

But Sunday’s 42-10 win over the the New York Jets was about taking a moment to savor how unstoppable the Patriots have been away from their home stadium this season.

“Like that sign out there on the highway out there said: ‘Road Work Continues,’” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel told his team in the locker room after the victory gave his team an 8-0 road record. “We have to have a mindset that there’s a lot of work left. But what we’ve done is pretty special. But we’ve got to keep thinking ahead.”

No matter what, the Patriots will host their first home playoff game since 2019. That, paired with their first division title since that same season, checks off two preseason goals Vrabel set for his first team in New England.

But having already joined the Chicago Bears to mark the 20th time in the past 23 seasons (2003-2025) that at least one team has won its division after finishing last or tied for last the previous year, chasing the top seed adds stakes to a regular-season finale matchup with a Miami Dolphins (7-9) team that has already been eliminated from playoff contention.

The scenario is simple to win the top seed: beat Miami, plus a win by the Los Angeles Chargers over the Denver Broncos (13-3).

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez believes the Patriots can find a way to carry the success they’ve had on the road this season back home.

“Unfinished business was the theme of the week. Coming in here and getting a win and going 8-0 on the road,” Gonzalez said. “To be able to go out and win multiple tough games on the road – Tampa, Baltimore – and then come in here and finish the deal, as a young team, that’s a really big thing for us. Now, we’re on to Miami.”

What’s working

New England’s offense had its best start to a game this season, scoring touchdowns on each of its first six drives, including all five in the first half. The Patriots didn’t even see a third down on either of their first two scoring drives.

What needs help

Special teams. A week after botching a fake punt of their own, the Patriots gave up a successful fake punt to the Jets on Sunday. New England was leading 35-3 early in the third quarter when New York punter Austin McNamara took a fourth-and-2 snap from the Jets 43 and tossed a 3-yard pass to Malachi Moore for a first down. It was all for naught, though, when the Jets tried another fake punt four plays later and were stopped.

Stock up

QB Drake Maye. He has saved his best performances for the end of the season, following up his first career 300-yard passing game last week at Baltimore by throwing a career-high five passes and completing 19 of 21 passes against the Jets. The 23-year-old has 4,203 yards passing and 30 touchdown passes in 2025, making him the sixth player under 24 with at least 4,000 yards passing and 30 touchdown passes in a season. The others are: Blake Bortles (2015 with Jacksonville), Justin Herbert (2020 and 2021 with the Los Angeles Chargers), Patrick Mahomes (2018 with Kansas City), Dan Marino (1984 with Miami) and Matthew Stafford (2009 with Detroit).

Stock down

K Andy Borregales. He missed a 41-yard field goal attempt off the right upright in the third quarter, ending the Patriots’ streak of six straight scoring drives to open the game.

Injuries

Fullback Jack Westover injured an ankle in the fourth quarter. ... Wide receiver Mack Hollins was placed on injured reserve on Saturday with an abdomen injury. Hollins currently ranks third on the team with 46 receptions for 550 yards.

Key number

3 — Maye joined Lynn Dickey (Dec. 13, 1981, with Green Bay) and Frank Ryan (Dec. 12, 1964, with Cleveland) as the only players with five touchdown passes and a completion percentage of 90-or-higher in a single game.

Next steps

The Patriots will be looking for their first sweep of the Dolphins since the 2016 season.