The New England Patriots marched uphill to Highmark Stadium on Sunday, walking away with a 23-20 win over the rival Buffalo Bills. It was a statement performance by quarterback Drake Maye, as the Patriots defeated the Bills on the road for the first time since December 2021, giving the fan base a ton of confidence heading into the rest of the 2025 NFL season.
An upset win over a division rival is always fun, but the Patriots' latest victory means more than it does on a surface level. On top of helping New England win for the third time in four weeks, Sunday's victory is sweeter based on what happened around the rest of the division.
Patriots' Upset Win vs. Bills Made Sweeter by Week 5's Results
With the win at Highmark Stadium, the Patriots became the only AFC East team to win in Week 5. For starters, they were the first squad to hand the Bills a loss this season. Considering how Buffalo has been one of the NFL's top contenders throughout the last few years, it's clear that New England is ready to give the league's best teams a challenge.
The good news didn't stop there. The Miami Dolphins fell to an abysmal 1-4 on the season with their 27-24 loss to the Carolina Panthers — a game where the Patriots' rivals even led 17-0 at one point. New England already picked up a 33-27 win over Miami in Week 2, so it's safe to say the gap between these foes is only widening.
As for the New York Jets, they've yet to taste victory this fall. The Jets are now 0-5 after a 37-22 blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys at home, proving that not even their fans can will them to success. The Patriots don't play the Jets until Thursday Night Football in Week 11, and, with the way things are going, it's hard to imagine the latter's win total changing between now and then.
With a 3-2 record to their name, the Patriots would own the AFC's No. 7 seed if the NFL playoffs began today. There's plenty of time for things to change between now and January, but the fact is that New England's Week 5 win — combined with the other AFC East teams losing — has effectively launched Vrabel's squad back into the playoff hunt.
Fortunately, the Patriots' upcoming schedule is more than favorable. Their next three games are against the New Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans, and Cleveland Browns, who have three combined wins as they sport matching 1-4 records after Week 5. If they can string together three straight wins, Pats fans would have to love their team's playoff odds after a 6-2 start.
That's why capitalizing on Sunday's momentum is a must, especially if ending their playoff drought is one of the Patriots' top priorities.