Patriots Leaning on Unlikely Wingman for No. 1 Seed

The New England Patriots have already punched their playoff ticket, but Week 17 is where things can really get spicy. The AFC East is right there for the taking. And grabbing it would lock in a home playoff game at Gillette, where January football hits different.

The math isn’t complicated, but there’s zero margin for error. A Pats win paired with a Buffalo Bills loss (or tie) seals the division. A tie works too, as long as Buffalo stumbles. One thing’s clear: a loss takes the champagne back to the fridge.

And the stakes go beyond a banner. The AFC’s No. 1 seed is still very much in play, meaning New England isn’t just scoreboard-watching. They’re eyeing the fast lane to the Super Bowl with a first-round bye on the line. December football doesn’t get much better than this.

Patriots Have Unlikely Wingman to Help Land No. 1 Seed

The Broncos don’t get a breather down the stretch. They had the Chiefs in Week 17, and now, they have the Chargers waiting in Week 18. A brutal two-game gauntlet with real stakes attached. If the Patriots handle business this week, Denver won’t have the luxury of resting anyone. They’ll be forced to roll out the starters against the Chargers and fight to lock up the division and the No. 1 seed.

Dec 21, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) participates in pregame warmups against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Flip the script to Week 18, and don’t be surprised if Foxboro turns into Chargers territory for a day. Every scoreboard matters now, and the Patriots' chances are still red hot.

With just two weeks left in the 2025 regular season, the margin for error is razor thin. One bad Sunday can send a team from playoff dreaming to mock draft season real quick.

Seven teams get in per conference. Heading into Week 17, five AFC squads have already stamped their tickets: the Broncos, Patriots, Jaguars, Chargers, and Bills. Two spots are still up for grabs. Either the Steelers or Ravens will come out of the AFC North with a top-four seed, while the final wild card could come down to a straight-up Week 18 showdown between the Texans and Colts.

For New England, the blueprint is simple. The shortest road to the Super Bowl is the one that keeps them planted in Foxboro as long as possible. That means winning out, grabbing the No. 1 seed, and letting everyone else deal with January road games, while the Pats wait at home.

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