The New England Patriots are still in solid shape for postseason seeding heading into Week 12 of the 2025 NFL Season.
As the New England Patriots continue to savor their 27-14 win over the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium earlier this week, they find themselves in familiar territory.
While their victory allowed them to briefly possess first place in the AFC with a 9-2 record, the Pats will officially turn the page from Week 11, occupying the second overall seed in the conference, with seven weeks remaining in the season.
Here are the current AFC Playoff standings at the conclusion of this weekend’s slate:
- Denver Broncos (9-2)
- New England Patriots (9-2)
- Indianapolis Colts (8-2)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)
- Buffalo Bills (7-3)
- Los Angeles Chargers (7-4)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4)
On the Bubble: 8. Houston Texans (5-5), 9. Kansas City Chiefs (5-5), 10. Baltimore Ravens (5-5)
“So You’re Tellin’ Me There’s a Chance?” : 11. Miami Dolphins (4-7), 12. Cincinnati Bengals (3-7)
Patriots Sitting Pretty Heading Into Week 12
Despite each team possessing 9-2 records, the Broncos — thanks to their 22-19 victory over Kansas City — currently hold the tiebreaker over the Pats based on conference record. Denver is 6-2 against their AFC opponents, while New England is 5-2.
Still, the Patriots’ win puts them in a favorable position to contend for the top spot in both the conference and their division. The Buffalo Bills — their closest AFC East competitor — remain one and a half games behind New England in the standings due to their 44-32 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11.
The Patriots are currently 3-0 against division foes, while the Bills are 2-2. which could be significant if they finish tied. Based on their 23-20 victory over the Bills in Week 5, the Pats currently hold the tiebreaker for the AFC East crown — a title which has eluded them since 2019. New England has not secured a conference title since 2018.
Winners of eight straight — their longest such streak since 2021 — New England is enjoying its most success since its last postseason berth in January 2022. With a new-look defense and a massively improved offense, the Patriots are heading into the second half of 2025 as a potential favorite to bring the AFC title back to southern New England.
While the Pats are undoubtedly pleased with their effort in all three phases, there are also plenty of areas in which they will look to build upon as well as seek improvement heading into their Week 12 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
