Will Patriots rest starters for Week 18 game vs. Dolphins with No. 1 seed in reach?

The 13-3 New England Patriots began Monday as the new champions of the AFC East after the Buffalo Bills suffered a 13-12 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon.

That said, the Patriots could end Week 18 as the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed and have home-field advantage throughout the postseason if they defeat the Miami Dolphins (7-9) on Jan. 4 and if the 13-3 Denver Broncos fail to beat the Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) that same afternoon.

During a Monday appearance on Boston sports radio station WEEI, first-year Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel indicated he won't rest starters for the upcoming home game against Miami. 

Mike Vrabel will "probably" play all healthy Patriots starters against Dolphins

"Probably everybody that’s healthy will play," Vrabel said, as Lauren Campbell shared for MassLive. "That’s just where we’re at. I haven’t looked too far into it this morning here, but I would anticipate everybody that’s healthy will play in the football game." 

Patriots fans may want Vrabel to put second-year quarterback Drake Maye in a protective bubble until the playoffs get underway. On Sunday, Maye passed for five touchdowns in New England's 42-10 blowout win over the lowly New York Jets (3-13). 

As of Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Maye second among the betting favorites at +180 odds to claim the Most Valuable Player Award for the season. Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams topped the list at -230 odds. 

Mike Vrabel credits this for Patriots' perfect road record

The victory at MetLife Stadium on Sunday ensured that the Patriots will finish the 2025 regular season with a perfect 8-0 record on the road. On Monday, Vrabel credited team employees and outsiders for the fact that New England won all eight of its road games during the campaign. 

"I appreciate the way that the players, and I think that our staff — our staff here, the travel logistics and everything, it starts with that," Vrabel explained, per Tom Carroll of WEEI. "And then the equipment staff and the training staff and everybody that transports this building to another place and to another hotel to make the players feel comfortable and get everything that they need, and the treatment and the preparation. And then, obviously, our fans — the way that they've traveled, I know that our team appreciates that, and I'm glad that we've been able to give them something to travel for and cheer for. So going all the way back to Miami [in Week 2], I can appreciate our fans being [there] and wanting to travel." 

It remains to be seen if the Patriots will have to play another road game to reach Super Bowl LX, which will be held at Levi's Stadium (home of the San Francisco 49ers) in February.