Patriots Prove They Belong Among NFL's Best

Dec 21, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) looks to pass against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of the game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Patriots Prove They Belong Among NFL's Best

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Dec 22, 2025 12:00 PM ET

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The New England Patriots are playoff-bound after beating the Baltimore Ravens 28-24 in Week 16.

After three seasons outside of the postseason, the Patriots are back where they belong in the playoffs. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye expressed pride in his team after the win.

"I'm so proud of this team. It took everybody. That's what we knew coming into it. Our goal this week was to win together, and it was together. It felt good to get that one," Maye said.

"Just props to these guys. [We] keep fighting. We had guys going down, guys coming in taking more plays than they probably have ever had, and guys getting tired from pushing through and defense stepping up making big plays and forcing fumbles. We talked about things all week, and we hit some of them. Obviously, there are some things that I'd like to have back, but right now, it feels good to get a win."

Maye Praises Patriots After Win

The Patriots have now tripled their win total from the previous season. They only had eight wins in the last two seasons combined, but they now have 12 in 2025, which equals a playoff berth.

After losing in a collapse against the Buffalo Bills the previous week, the Patriots knew they needed to respond in a big way against the Ravens. They did just that.

"I just think how the game went, there's plays and times I feel I put the team in a bad spot. I took points away in the red zone and past the 50 [-yard line]," Maye said.

"It's just what it is and bouncing back and the next man up going out the next drive and trusting the guys around you and another away environment with a loud crowd and a good defense. I felt the guys had a lot of trust and belief in the huddle, and I was just confident in trying to let it rip, and those guys were make some plays."

While the Patriots have officially qualified for the postseason, they still have a couple more goals on their checklist, beginning with clinching the AFC East, which they can do in Week 17 with a win against the New York Jets coupled with a Buffalo Bills loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

"We wanted to win the division, and that's what we're still fighting for. It was awesome to clinch the playoffs, but we want to win the division," Maye said.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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