The New England Patriots are idle in Week 14, but they can take another step toward an AFC East title if the Buffalo Bills falter.

New England wields a 2.5-game division lead entering its bye. While the Patriots can’t clinch the AFC East this weekend, the Bills’ slim chances of mounting a comeback would shrink if they lose to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Buffalo’s defense will be without two key players when it faces Joe Burrow and Co. this Sunday. The Bills ruled out defensive end Joey Bosa (hamstring/wrist) and linebacker Terrel Bernard (elbow) on Friday.

Bosa recorded his team-leading fifth...

There isn’t a Patriots game this week for the first time since late August, so I imagine that a lot of you out there will either be taking this Sunday off from the NFL or tuning into the RedZone Channel, losing the remote between the couch cushions, and spending the day rooting against the various teams competing with New England for a postseason spot while praying to the fantasy gods that you can sneak into one of those last few open playoff slots. And so I thought now would be a good time to send everyone a gentle reminder regarding...

TEAM TALK

• Evan Lazar ranks Drake Maye’s best throws from the first 13 games of the season.
• Mike Dussault writes how Drake Maye earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career while leading the league in Pro Bowl voting.
• Mike Dussault reports TreVeyon Henderson won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for November, but adds how he’s only one part of an impactful rookie class that has helped the Patriots turn things around.
• NFL announces TreVeyon Henderson was voted NFL Rookie of the Week for Week 13.
• Patriots...

There is not one individual reason why the New England Patriots transformed into one of the best teams in the NFL this season. Rather, their success is a complex mosaic whose parts include quarterback play, coaching, free agency success, player development, injury luck and schedule, among countless other factors.

One that cannot be disregarded among them is rookie performance. In the first year under head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots relied heavily on their first-year personnel. Draft picks like first-rounder Will Campbell have been integral to the team’s play this season, as have been lower-profile players brought aboard in the...

Whether you’re a lifelong Patriots fan or flying in from overseas for a major soccer match, Gillette Stadium is a must-visit stop on any New England sports trip.

From fall Sundays on Route 1 to summer concert nights and global soccer showcases, it’s the centerpiece of Patriot Place and one of the region’s busiest venues.

Opened in 2002, Gillette Stadium is home to the New England Patriots and New England Revolution of Major League Soccer.

It has hosted multiple AFC Championship Games, the 2002 MLS Cup and is one of the U.S. venues selected for the FIFA World Cup 2026,...

Former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is in the middle of an impressive first season as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator.

The Buckeyes boast one of the strongest defenses in college football, and Patricia has done an outstanding job, positioning himself as a strong candidate for a head coaching role.

While a majority of college football head coaching jobs have been filled as of Thursday, Penn State is still looking for a head coach. Centre Daily Times Jon Sauber named Patricia as a possible candidate for the Nittany Lions head coach.

“Patricia is a Bill Belichick disciple who spent...

The New England Patriots have seen their share of quarterbacks pass through their organization over the last decade, and one of them is Jimmy Garoppolo.

Garoppolo hasn’t suited up for New England since the Patriots traded him to the San Francisco 49ers in the middle of the 2017 season. However, there’s a chance he might face off against the Patriots again soon.

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox thinks Garoppolo could be a good fit for the Miami Dolphins next season.

“The Miami Dolphins could provide the perfect landing spot for Garoppolo, if they choose to retain head coach Mike McDaniel but...

The New England Patriots are on their bye this week, which means that it is time for rest and relaxation. That said, we will naturally still keep a close eye on the rest of the NFL between Thursday, Sunday and Monday. The playoff picture is still taking shape, after all, and the Patriots would appreciate some help in their quest to win the AFC East and earn the No. 1 seed in the conference.

With that said, let’s go through the list and find out who you should be rooting for in Week 14.

Thursday

8:15 p.m. ET...

There’s not much to criticize about Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, but claiming he deserves the NFL Coach of the Year award might be stretching it a bit.

Currently, the Patriots have the best record in the NFL at 11-2. However, there’s another coach who’s doing an impressive job, and that’s Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson.

Johnson has led the Bears to the top of the NFC with an impressive 9-3 record. Both he and Vrabel stepped in to lead teams that managed only five wins or fewer last season.

Both head coaches are mentoring second-year quarterbacks whom their...

More observers are beginning to take the New England Patriots seriously as legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

The Patriots earned their 10th straight victory on Monday night, jumping to 11-2 with a 33-15 win over the New York Giants. Tom Brady placed them atop his power rankings, and he’s not the only former NFL player who feels they’re currently the league’s most impressive team.

Marcus Spears commended New England’s steady dominance on ESPN’s “First Take.”

“The team that you’ve seen consistency from is in the AFC, and they play at Gillette Stadium,” Spears said on Wednesday morning. “That’s the one team...

The New England Patriots haven’t had any issues handling hostile environments this season.

New England enters a Week 14 bye as the only team with an undefeated road record. The Patriots are 6-0 away from Gillette Stadium, including statement wins over the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Kay Adams asked Marcus Jones on Thursday’s “Up & Adams” if he feels the Patriots play better on the road. The cornerback and special teams ace acknowledged that an away game can create some extra pressure, but he downplayed any significant change in approach based on the venue.

“Whenever we’re at home...

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been one of the top coordinators in the NFL this season. While he has a somewhat negative reputation as a head coach, things could change for him this offseason.

McDaniels has had two separate stints as an NFL head coach, the first with the Broncos from 2009 to 2010 and the second with the Raiders from 2022 to 2023. However, he never completed a full season with either team, as both Denver and Las Vegas let him go midway through the season.

The silver lining for McDaniels is the impressive performance of...