The Patriots locked up the AFC East last week, thanks to their impressive record and the Bills' loss to the Eagles, and now set their sights on where they will be seeded in the AFC playoffs. Going into their season finale against the Dolphins, they hold the No. 2 seed, but that could change depending on how they fare on Sunday afternoon, along with how the morning games went.
With several playoff implications being determined by the results of the afternoon games, the Patriots are still in play for the No. 1, 2, and 3 seeds in the AFC. It puts even more pressure on them to leave Gillette Stadium with a win over Miami, especially now that the Jaguars demolished the Titans to win the AFC South.
They have a 13-4 record, so if the Patriots lose, the Jaguars hold the tiebreaker and would push New England down. So, to lock up the No. 2 seed and not fall to No. 2, they need a win on Sunday. If they lose, they slip to No. 3.
Jaguars score goes final. Due to the Jags win, the #Patriots now need to beat the Dolphins to secure the No. 2 seed.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) January 4, 2026
A win will also keep them in the running for the No. 1 seed and first-round bye, as the Broncos host the Chargers to determine the AFC West winner at the same time as the Patriots game.
The Patriots are in charge of their playoff fate in Week 18
Although most have predicted an easy win for the Patriots, especially since the Dolphins have already (or are expected to) rule out several key starters, it's still a divisional game that can really go either way.
This young team will have to prove they can handle the pressure to finish the season strong and lock up the best playoff seeding possible, particularly with the No. 1 spot still open. They'll need the Broncos to lose to the Chargers while they beat the Dolphins for that to happen, but anything is possible.
Regardless, they need to ensure they lock up No. 2 by going all out in the final game of the year and continue to show they are a legitimate team that should be taken seriously this postseason.
At this point, with the No. 2 seed, it looks likely they'll face the Bills or Chargers in the first round, so with a win, they'll be able to focus immediately on their next opponent and plan for another win to go further in the playoffs than they did in 2021, a postseason game we would rather not remember.