The Patriots weren't competitive in the AFC East title race for the third straight season, and the Bills were once again crowned division champs, extending their streak to five seasons straight. Their success over the last few years has been impressive, but the supporting group for Josh Allen in 2024 was arguably his worst. Nonetheless, he made it work, winning the MVP and finishing with 40 total touchdowns and just six interceptions.
The 2025 offseason has presented an opportunity for Buffalo to reestablish its chokehold on the division. They re-signed several key contributors to long-term deals, including Khalil Shakir, Greg Rousseau, Terrel Bernard, and Christian Benford.
Most importantly, they locked up Josh Allen to an extension and pay raise that will keep him with the team for two more years. The only major loss for the second-ranked offense was now Patriot Mack Hollins, who Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore subsequently replaced.
Defensively, the team added Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi to the defensive line. Joey Bosa was a marquee addition to the line, and Darrick Forrest adds depth behind Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin.
In the draft, the team's 13th-ranked defense got an infusion of youth in rounds one through five. Maxwell Hairston will start opposite Benford, while T.J. Sanders and Landon Jackson are solid run-stoppers. It shouldn't be a shock that a team that scored north of 30 points a game and got better defensively is a Super Bowl favorite.
FanDuel has the Bills tied with the Ravens at the top of the Super Bowl odds, at +700. With all this being said, it shouldn't come as a surprise that NFL.com's Jeffrey Chadiha listed the Bills being champions in February as one of his top way-too-early predictions for the 2025 season.
The Patriots are in trouble for the 2025 season despite additions
This spells trouble for the Patriots. The Bills won the division last season yet again, completely unopposed, unlike the 2021 and 2022 seasons, in which the Patriots and Dolphins made late pushes.
The Patriots finished 1-1 last year against their foes to the north, but that's a bit deceiving. The team made things interesting in their first matchup, but a Josh Allen fourth-down sneak sealed the 24-21 Bills win. Despite a 23-16 win in Week 18, Mitch Trubisky and Mike White split snaps for the Bills, and starters were widely rested ahead of the playoffs. Drake Maye played a single series before Joe Milton took over and impressed, ultimately leading to his being traded.
There's no doubt the Patriots should be more prepared than they were last season, but the Bills should be too. Kaiir Elam's departure, paired with the additions made to the cornerback room, should particularly concern the Patriots. For a team that struggled to move the ball through the air last season, playing an opponent with improved defensive backs isn't a great look.
In Tre'Davious White's single season outside of Buffalo with the Rams and Ravens, he recorded career lows of 52.9 and 54.4 in overall and coverage PFF grades. Now reunited with Sean McDermott, he'll face his old teammate Stefon Diggs twice a year.
Josh Allen's scrambling ability should help him keep the pass rush from the interior of Milton Williams and Christian Barmore at bay, but the lack of speed on the edge is concerning. Additions Harold Landry and K'Lavon Chaisson are better as north-south runners than players who can get sideline to sideline. While the interior rush should get Allen off his spot, he's arguably more dangerous out of the structure of the play.
The Patriots' middling offense doesn't feature a great running attack, meaning they won't likely overcome the Bills' fearsome run-stopping front. While the Bills are better than they were last season in the defensive backfield, they may not have the horses to run with top wideouts. While Diggs was a nice addition and Pop Douglas should continue to improve, I'm not sure the Patriots have the players to take advantage.
While there's no doubt the Patriots improved, the Bills also drastically improved their team in the offseason. Their revamped defensive line will pose a problem, and the defensive backs have become significantly more experienced. Offensively, they not only kept their main core but also extended their key players for years to come.
Although last offseason was a time of loss for the Bills, 2025 has brought plenty, and the Patriots have every reason to be concerned.