Patriots No. 1 Seed Hopes Take Hit Before Playoffs

The New England Patriots were officially on Christmas break, but they still had one eye glued to Arrowhead Stadium as the Broncos and Chiefs kicked off on Christmas Day.

Problem was, Kansas City was playing with house money. Already bounced from the playoff picture and without Patrick Mahomes under center, the Chiefs were basically running out the clock on their season. That left Denver walking in as a heavy favorite.

To their credit, the Chiefs made it messy. The game turned into a slugfest, more punts than presents early, and Denver even found itself digging out of a hole. But when it mattered, the Broncos finished the drive. A late push sealed a 20–13 win, and with it, a lump of coal straight into New England’s stocking.

Bottom line: not the Christmas result Patriots fans were hoping for.

Patriots Still Alive in Top-Seed Chase Despite Slipping Behind Denver

The Broncos are now sitting at 13–3, nudging a half-game ahead of the 12–3 Patriots in the AFC’s No. 1 seed race. The gap caught national attention fast, with Ian Rapoport hopping on X to put it plainly:
Writing, "The No. 1 seed in the #Broncos grasps."

The No. 1 seed in the #Broncos grasps. https://t.co/a9OpU77mnf
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 26, 2025

Not so fast, though. The top spot is still very much in play for New England.

For the Pats, the path is simple on paper: win out. Take care of business against the Jets and Dolphins over the next two weekends and keep stacking Ws. Both teams are already golfing in their minds, so New England will be favored. But December football has a way of humbling teams that overlook anyone.

Here’s the catch: the Patriots don’t fully control their destiny. They also need Denver to stumble in its finale against the Chargers. That’s a tall ask. The Broncos will be at home, likely rested, and could be facing a Chargers squad with nothing left to chase if they drop this week’s game to Houston. Translation: Denver will probably be laying points.

Meanwhile, New England’s backfield has been a weekly adventure. Ball security issues, injuries, and inconsistency have kept the run game from finding a rhythm. Rhamondre Stevenson’s early fumbling problems lingered from last season, TreVeyon Henderson struggled to find his lanes early, and Terrell Jennings — who showed some pop in short-yardage situations — eventually landed on IR.

Depth has been a problem all year. Jashaun Corbin remains a practice-squad option with just one career carry, and the addition of Mitchell gives the Pats another lottery ticket in a room that’s been duct-taped together most of the season. At this point, they’re looking for reliability more than explosiveness.

For now, the focus stays narrow: beat the Jets, handle the business in front of you, and keep the pressure on Denver. If New England wins and the Bills lose to the Eagles, the AFC East is clinched — and that would lock in a home playoff game for the first time in six years.

Style points can wait. December is about survival, standings, and stacking wins.

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