6. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots had quite the season in 2025, making it all the way to the Super Bowl. Yes, the schedule was out-of-this-world easy, but we have to give credit where it’s due. While the Patriots are likely not to be a Super Bowl team this year, even a slight regression would have this team firmly in the playoff mix.
The coaching staff is excellent, and Drake Maye did finish second in MVP voting, and those types of things just don’t disappear overnight. I’m not sure New England is going to win the AFC East for a second year in a row, but sliding into a Wild Card playoff spot feels likely.
The roster is solid on both sides of the ball, as the team swung a deal for Brown from the Patriots and also added Romeo Doubs to the room as well. Overall, there are a ton of teams in a much worse spot than the Patriots are right now.
New England gets inside the top-10 in our latest power rankings and suddenly find themselves right in the middle of a Super Bowl window.
5. Buffalo Bills
Will it be another playoff heartbreak for the Buffalo Bills? Notably, the Bills parted with Sean McDermott in the offseason and promoted Joe Brady as the head coach. DJ Moore was added via trade from the Bears as well, so this offense could look a bit more efficient.
The defense was actually where the Bills could look to improve the most. The unit was quite good defending the pass in 2025, but the run defense was horrid. But as we know with this team, it’s really not about the regular season, as the Bills are going to win between 11-13 games and get into the playoffs.
What has to change (or maybe not) is the team’s performance in the playoffs. Quarterback Josh Allen has the most playoff wins among QBs who have not started a Super Bowl. Something has to change in 2026.
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