Patriots enter biggest game since perhaps Tom Brady’s finale

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Quick thoughts and notes on the New England Patriots and the NFL:

1. High Stakes: The Patriots will win the AFC East title if they beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), making it the franchise’s highest-stakes game at Gillette Stadium since…

• On January 1, 2023, when a 23-21 victory over the Miami Dolphins evened their record at 8-8 and kept slim playoff hopes alive (they lost the following week on the road and did not qualify);

• January 2, 2022, when a 50-10 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars improved them to 10-6 in quarterback Mac Jones’ rookie season and clinched a playoff spot (they lost in the wild-card round on the road);

• January 4, 2020, when a 20-13 loss to the Mike Vrabel-coached Tennessee Titans in the round of the playoffs ended their season at 12-5, and ultimately was Tom Brady’s final game with the franchise.

The answer may vary depending on one’s perspective, but for those who chose Brady’s finale, there is no doubt that it is the more compelling choice. It’s been a long five years for the Patriots since then, with their 2025 resurgence sparked by Vrabel, whose presence on the field Sunday completes the high-stakes circle.

“It’s a big step we’ve taken,” Vrabel said.

Vrabel, during his introductory press conference as Patriots coach on Jan. 13, identified the division title as the team’s first goal. He also shared this with the players.

“Coach said it at the beginning of the year: ‘Win the division.’ Everybody probably says that in the league in their first team meeting,” quarterback Drake Maye said. “It’s pretty cool to see how this came true and we’re here with the chance to do it this week.”

The fact that they can achieve this against the defending champions adds to the atmosphere of the big match.

“They’ve won the division for five years, so we have something we have to take,” Maye said. “We know it’s going to be difficult to achieve. But we’re ready to do it.”

Added veteran receiver Stefon Diggs: “This game is a little different because you’re playing for something. You’ve got a lot to play for. Not every team in the league can say that this week.”

As the players left the locker room after their final practice of the week Friday, there was a mix of enthusiasm and a reminder among them not to treat their preparation, or the game, any differently than other weeks.

Outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings, who joins offensive lineman Mike Onwenu as the Patriots’ longest-tenured player with six seasons, approached that balance while relishing the chance to play in such an important game.

“It feels good. It’s very important for us because we set our goals at the beginning of the season to win the division and host playoff games. This would be another step in that direction,” Jennings said. “We’ve been trying to prepare all offseason, but now it’s also not about making it too big and just going out and doing what we do and executing the game plan.”

2. Landry and Watt: Patriots outside linebacker Harold Landry III spoke with CBS football analyst JJ Watt via video conference on Friday. Watt will provide analysis of the Patriots-Bills game alongside Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Evan Washburn (sideline), and Landry enjoyed the conversation as part of standard CBS production meetings leading up to the games.

“It’s a little surreal, because when I came into the league he was still playing for Houston and I just remember we had to make sure he didn’t ruin the game,” he said. “You look at him from afar, a future Hall of Famer, so talking to him as a peer was cool.”

Vrabel also discussed his conversation with Watt, whom he coached as an assistant with the Texans (2014-17), noting his respect for him: “Hearing former players talk about what we’re doing and what they’re seeing, I think that’s always a good perspective. To think that, ‘Hey, we’re going in the right direction,’ and they kind of see what we’re trying to do.”

3. Growth Mindset: Diggs, in his 11th NFL season, acknowledged that the Patriots (11-2) came together more quickly than expected.

“I’ve been on a lot of teams. I would say yes wholeheartedly,” he said.

4. Quiet digs: Diggs has fewer than 30 receiving yards in each of the last two games, which is the longest streak of his career. This has happened five other times, most recently with the Bills in December 2023.

This could mean he’s expected to play a breakout game against his former team, similar to Week 5 where he had a season-high 10 catches for 146 yards. Regardless, Diggs said he’s not focusing on personal stats, but rather the unselfish nature of the team’s receiving corps.

“I would never sit here and act like a robot or like I don’t want the ball. Everyone wants the ball and to play at a high level, but it’s like seven dogs and a bone,” he said. “You see guys playing at a high level and treating every play like the last, you just don’t know when you’re going to get it back. There’s a lot of guys that can get open. It’s a selfless attitude. [group]and you shoot for your brother.”

5. The emergence of Elliss: Linebacker Christian Elliss’ hard hit on Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart in Week 13 energized the Patriots, as Elliss sprinted toward the sideline before delivering the legal hit. The first quarter’s play highlighted, in part, the growth coaches have seen in the 26-year-old Elliss.

“I love his development right now,” linebackers coach and defensive player Zak Kuhr said.

Elliss is third on the team with 54 tackles and also leads the club with 14 special teams tackles.

“He’s really gotten better week by week,” Kuhr said. “The fact that he cares so much can lead to growth, but also sometimes you have to be there with him and [say]“Hey man, it’s okay to make a mistake.” At the start of the season, if he made a mistake, he blamed himself. No one will get a perfect result. He plays fast, free, aggressive and within the scheme.”

6. Run D Concern? Through the first nine weeks of the season, the Patriots allowed just 3.6 yards per rushing attempt, which ranked them third in the NFL. But since Week 10, they’ve allowed 4.9 yards per carry, which is 29th over that span.

So, are problems on the horizon against quarterback Josh Allen, running back James Cook III and the Bills, who rank first in the NFL with an average of 5.1 yards per carry?

The Patriots’ slide coincided, in part, with top defensive tackle Milton Williams landing on injured reserve (ankle). Getting back to building a wall, defining edges and swarming has been a focal point.

Kuhr also credited the Bills’ scheme, saying, “They mix it up pretty well and they also do what they do well, and they’ll repeat that. They have a consistent offensive line, an extremely talented running back and a quarterback who can go the distance at any time. They’re committed to it and that makes it a tough game.”

7. McDaniels sound bites: Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was a guest on “The Schrager Hour” with ESPN’s Peter Schrager, and he was asked for quick thoughts on the players on the roster. His answers on the two former Bills receivers now in New England:

• Diggs: “Bulldog. Grinder. Competitive. An intensity about him that’s hard to describe.”

• WR Mack Hollins: “Chess piece. As selfless a teammate as I’ve known.”

8. Henderson and Dillon: Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State’s second-round pick, has at least 50 rushing yards in each of the last six games. If he reaches that mark Sunday against the Bills, he will become the first Patriots player since Corey Dillon (2004-2005) to total 50 or more rushing yards in seven consecutive games, according to ESPN Research.

McDaniels highlighted the “incredible attitude” of Henderson, who didn’t reach 40 rushing yards in any of the first seven games of the season. “He’s out there every day, every rep, and he does it as fast as he can – which we know is explosive – and he comes running back and is ready to do it again. For a young player that has that mindset and that approach, it’s easy to see why you would improve,” McDaniels said of Henderson on “The Schrager Hour.”

9. Pats-Jets at Fox: What led the Patriots-Jets road game on Sunday, Dec. 28 (1 p.m. ET) to move from CBS to Fox? Here’s a brief recap, via communication with those familiar with the league’s thinking, that highlights the complexity of television programming:

• The NFL had five possible games that could be played Saturday, Dec. 27, and ultimately settled on Texans-Chargers (NFL Network) and Ravens-Packers (Peacock). So that meant that Giants-Raiders, which was one of five possible games that could have been picked, was moved to Sunday.

• The Giants-Raiders game could have aired on Fox at 4:05 p.m., but that would have required moving an early afternoon game like Cardinals-Bengals or Seahawks-Panthers to 4:05 p.m. on CBS.

• Instead, the call went out to broadcast Giants-Raiders on CBS at 4:05 p.m., which meant the Patriots-Jets game had to move to Fox so both New York teams could be broadcast in New York.

• A side benefit: It also allows fans in New York and Las Vegas to see the Eagles-Bills game on Fox at 4:25 p.m. that day.

10. Did you know? NFL teams coming off the bye week — as the Patriots enter Sunday — are 87-68-1 over the past five seasons (.561) and 16-12 this year (.571).