It's no shock that the New England Patriots dropped substantially in NFL power rankings after being clobbered at home, 45-27, by the Green Bay Packers. The AFC's October Offensive Player of the Month, Drake Maye, threw three first-half interceptions, and the game was never on the Patriots' terms from there. Hopes for a repeat AFC East title have since slipped from slim to far-fetched.
NFL.com dropped the Patriots to No. 15 this week, and the only real surprise is that they didn't drop them even lower. The Patriots are falling like autumn leaves.
Compounding matters, they did absolutely nothing at the trade deadline to try to stem the downward slide and improve the team.
Patriots' trade deadline inaction suggests their focus may already be shifting toward 2027
The Patriots' decision to stand pat at the trade deadline is hard to understand. The team is riddled with injuries from the offensive line to the wide receiver room to tight end and more. Making no trades sends a clear message to Patriots nation: The Patriots will just let the chips fall where they may for 2026, for better or for worse.
In dropping the Patriots in its weekly power rankings, NFL.com argued that sneaking into the playoffs this season won't yield the same results as 2025.
"When Christian Gonzalez -- New England’s star corner -- is getting cooked in coverage to the tune of 10 receptions for 187 yards and a touchdown, per Next Gen Stats, and Drake Maye is throwing three interceptions, we might finally be arriving at a point of agreement: Perhaps these Patriots are just a middling team that could sneak into the playoffs but won’t come close to the AFC title run they went on last season."
The Patriots' personnel operation failed to add the players necessary to remedy the multiple roster holes shockingly exposed in Super Bowl LX. They did add to the wide receiver room by trading for wide receiver A.J. Brown and signing Romeo Doubs. Unfortunately, both have missed multiple games already this season due to injuries. When they have played, they haven't done much to justify their status as Maye's go-to receivers.
The offensive line also wasn't addressed nearly enough, although first-round rookie Caleb Lomu has fared well in the limited reps he's gotten as the Patriots' swing tackle.
New England's 2026 injury history, the inconsistent play of Maye, and no activity at the trade deadline all lead to an inescapable conclusion.
The Patriots held on to draft picks and players they could have traded to bolster the roster for a 2026 playoff run. Unfortunately, it is what it is, repugnant and lily-livered. Patriots brass is essentially already looking ahead to 2027, whether Patriots nation likes it or not.
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