Regardless of how the rest of the 2025 NFL regular season pans out with two games remaining, the New England Patriots are playoff-bound and will have the opportunity to prove their worth in the postseason, with high hopes of making a run to the Super Bowl in the AFC.
Even though the Patriots are already headed to the playoffs, New England wants to be in the best position possible to set up a favorable path to success, which means that winning the AFC East division title remains a goal moving forward.
Patriots Get Brutal Injury Updates Ahead of Week 17
GettyRobert Spillane #14 of the New England Patriots
Unfortunately for the Patriots, the team will be quite shorthanded heading into Week 17’s divisional showdown against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
The Patriots will be without a few notable players for Sunday’s road game, with head coach Mike Vrabel revealing this to the media during a team press conference on Friday.
Vrabel revealed that the team will be without linebackers Robert Spillane (ankle) and Harold Landry (knee), as well as wide receivers Kayshon Boutte (concussion protocol) and Mack Hollins (abdomen), defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga (foot) and guard Jared Wilson (concussion protocol). Defensive tackle Milton Williams , who is battling an ankle injury, wasn’t activated either.
A few other notable players are considered questionable, including running back Treveyon Henderson (concussion protocol), wide receiver Demario Douglas (hamstring) and cornerback Charles Woods (foot).
Even though the Patriots will be shorthanded on both sides of the football on Sunday, the team is going up against a struggling Jets squad that has won only three games this season.
As of Friday, the Patriots are heavily favored (-13.5) coming into this matchup with the Jets, and will likely come out on top regardless of the players ruled out, as they still have star quarterback Drake Maye under center.
Patriots Can Clinch AFC East in Week 17
GettyQuarterback Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots
On Sunday, Maye and company will have an opportunity to win the AFC East division title, but it isn’t entirely in the team’s control.
New England’s scenario to win the division title involves the team securing a road win against the Jets, which they have a great chance of doing, and seeing their division rival, the Buffalo Bills , lose to the Philadelphia Eagles .
The matchup against the Eagles can go either way for the Bills, as the defending Super Bowl champions are always a formidable opponent. However, Jalen Hurts and company have already clinched a playoff spot and the NFC East division title, so Philadelphia might be looking to take its foot off the gas pedal in order to avoid suffering any costly injuries to key players like their star quarterback, Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown .
Currently, the Bills are the favorites (-1.5), as they’ll be playing host to the Eagles at Highmark Stadium. There’s no question that Vrabel and his team will be scoreboard watching on Sunday with the division title hanging in the balance.
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