What's next for the surging New England Patriots?

The New England Patriots' 2025 season has been a success. At 9-2, they have a notable lead over the rest of the AFC East and are contenders for the AFC's first seed. 

With multiple games left on the schedule, however, questions remain. What will New England's finishing record be? What does it need to improve on before the playoffs? What has it done well so far?

Here is what's next for the Patriots:

A 98% chance of making the playoffs 

On Thursday, the Patriots defeated the New York Jets, 27-14. Expect easy wins like that for the rest of New England's regular season. The Buffalo Bills are the only team over .500 on New England's remaining regular-season schedule, and the Patriots beat the Bills, 23-20, in Week 5. 

Aside from the Buffalo game, and potentially Week 16 against the Baltimore Ravens, the Patriots should have comfortable wins over the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, Jets and Miami Dolphins. Barring an upset, New England will finish the season with a minimum of 13 wins and a guaranteed spot in the playoffs. 

Addressing running-game concerns

The Patriots have struggled to run the ball consistently. Among those struggles, they average 3.9 yards per carry (27th in the NFL).

Quarterback Drake Maye's stellar play (71.9% completion percentage, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions) has made up for New England's poor rushing, but, regardless, the situation is concerning. It is in the Patriots' best interest to iron out their rushing issues before the playoffs.

Capitalizing on strengths

The Patriots have scored 35 total touchdowns (tied for second in the NFL) and average 357 yards per game (10th). The defense has allowed just 18.7 points (fifth) and 300 yards per game (eighth). 

Statistically, New England is one of the NFL's best teams. Although there may be minor holes among the offensive and defensive starters, by all accounts, the Patriots are a strong football team. Fans should feel confident in New England's chances of making a deep playoff run.