Are the 2025 Patriots for real, or have they just beaten up on bad teams? Tom E. Curran explains why this group is legitimately elite.

The New England Patriots have not been in the playoffs since the 2021 season, but their drought could be nearing its end. Winning a fifth straight game on Sunday versus the Cleveland Browns to improve to 6-2 on the year, the club of first-year head coach Mike Vrabel remains in the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

No NFL teams have done more winning over the past month than the Patriots or Broncos, both now 5-2 amid four-win streaks. They sit second and third, respectively, in the AFC, though New England projects to finish well ahead of Denver, per the Simulator:

The New York Jets likely took the Cincinnati Bengals out of the AFC North hunt with their upset win. The Dallas Cowboys' playoff chances took a massive hit with their loss to the Denver Broncos, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to be cruising toward their fifth straight NFC South title.

The New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills face off in Week 5 of the NFL season today. Here's where to watch and start time.

The Patriots may be Boston’s best shot at a duck boat parade. Their schedule appears easy. What else do they have to prove?