New England Patriots Report Card: Surprises, standouts, and disappointments after two thirds of the 2025 season
The New England Patriots are the top team in the AFC and don’t show any signs of slowing down anytime soon
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: The New England Patriots are atop the AFC, led by the efforts of an elite level quarterback and an outstanding, fundamentally sound defense. The 2010’s called, and they’d like their Patriots back.
The Patriots are the first team to 10 wins this season after taking care of the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, sitting on a nine game win streak. With a two-game lead on the rest of the AFC East and in firm control of the AFC’s No.1 seed, things couldn’t be going much better for the Patriots right now.
What have the Patriots looked like this season? Let’s break it down with superlatives and criticisms.
Offensive superlatives
MVP: QB Drake Maye
Did you expect anyone else? Drake “Drake Maye” Maye has played at an MVP-caliber level this season. The second-year gunslinger is making unbelievable throws look routine every week, with a calmness and mental sharpness that belies his relative inexperience. Maye is playing like a savvy vet already. Paired with an elite arm and good athleticism to make plays happen with his legs, he has quickly evolved into one of the best playmakers at the position this season. This was a no-brainer.
Glue guy: C Garrett Bradbury
When the Patriots signed Garrett Bradbury out of free agency, they were just hoping for some sort of stability at center after a poor season in 2024 at the pivot. A smart, steady veteran anchoring the interior of the line would do wonders for Drake Maye’s development. I think the Patriots got more than they were hoping for with Bradbury this season. Bradbury hasn’t allowed a single sack all season, and his presence up front has settled New England’s offensive line after a shoddy 2024 season.
Biggest surprise: WR Kayshon Boutte
Coming into the season, it seemed like the former LSU product was on the fringe of the roster. However, he turned a strong offseason into a strong preseason, and he’s now become a strong vertical threat for New England’s offense. Boutte’s 16.9 air yards per target rank second in the NFL this season, and his 17.8 EPA added on those deep targets is fourth in the league, just behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Emeka Egbuka, and DeVonta Smith.
Biggest disappointment: RB Rhamondre Stevenson
Given his contract, it’s hard not to view the 2025 season as a disappointment for Rhamondre Stevenson. Despite occupying the lead role for weeks, Stevenson only compiled 284 yards on the ground and his two fumbles are tied for second in the league. The power back is only averaging just 2.4 yards after contact per rush, ranking 44th among 44 qualifying rushers. The team has turned the keys to the rushing game over to rookie TreVeyon Henderson, and it’s not hard to see why.
Turning point of the last six weeks: Week 8 vs Cleveland Browns
The Patriots had ripped off four straight victories from Weeks 4 to 7, but many doubted how the team would do against true elite competition after beating the Panthers, Saints, and Titans for three of those four wins.
New England silenced those critics with an elite performance against the Browns. Despite Myles Garrett creating five (!!!) sacks, Drake Maye threw three touchdowns to three different receivers, and the Patriots pulled away from a stingy Browns defense. They haven’t looked back since, scoring at least 24 points in every game so far this season.
Injuries last weekend take some of the shine off of this unit, but they get a bye week next week following a matchup against the New York Giants to help rest up ahead of one final push for the AFC’s top seed.
offense overall grade: B+
Defensive superlatives
MVP: CB Christian Gonzalez/DT Christian Barmore
It’s hard for me to choose just one of these guys for the defensive MVP, so I’m cheating here and naming both. Gonzalez has a case as the best cornerback in the NFL, routinely locking up elite receivers every week. He’s allowed the fewest yards per coverage in man coverage since he entered the league in 2023.
Barmore is a wrecking ball up front for the Patriots’ defense. He leads all defensive tackles with 37 pressures this season (teammate Milton Williams has 32), and his 14.5% pressure rate sits 11th among all defensive linemen (yes, this includes edge rushers) on the season. Barmore has been a dominant force up front after missing most of last season battling a blood clot issue, and the Patriots are reaping the benefits.
Glue guy: LB Robert Spillane
The Patriots have a lot of under-the-radar vets on the defense, but Robert Spillane is the true definition of a glue guy for their front. Spillane holds the green dot as the defense’s signal caller, ensuring the team is always in the right spots to make a play. When he has to make a play, he’s frequently answered the call, particularly against the run. According to Next Gen Stats, Spillane leads the team with a 23.5% run tackle rate, and 26 of his run stops have generated positive EPA for the Patriots, tied for the 14th-most among all defenders in the NFL.
Biggest surprise: DT Khyiris Tonga
The signing of nose tackle Khyiris Tonga didn’t make a ton of waves in the offseason, but he’s been a stout presence up front for the Patriots, particularly as a run defender. His nine run stops are tied with Barmore for second on the team, and he blots out double teams inside. Perhaps the coolest part of it all: The Patriots have broke out a few plays featuring him as a lead blocker on offense, and he is an absolute hammer in the run game.
Biggest disappointment: LB Jahlani Tavai
It’s hard to be disappointed with much on New England’s defense, but Tavai would be my pick. He owns one of the largest cap hits on the defense, but has played just 71 snaps this season. It’s not entirely his fault, as he’s missed time with injuries and was ruled out of Week 12 for personal reasons, but it hasn’t been the 2025 season he was likely hoping for.
Turning point of the last six weeks: Week 10 vs Tampa Bay
New England’s defense hasn’t been challenged often in their nine game win streak, but they’ve answered the call when they have had to time and time again. Their best performance against a true challenger came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10. The Patriots forced punts on six of Tampa Bay’s 11 drives, and recorded a turnover on downs late that allowed New England to drive the winning dagger into the Bucs in the fourth quarter. The pass rush built up 20 pressures and two sacks on Baker Mayfield and broke up four passes to help deliver the 28-23 win.
defense overall grade: B
2025 draft class superlatives
Overachiever: SAF Craig Woodson
Woodson was a personal draft crush of mine, and he’s paying off in a big way for New England. He’s playing 90% of snaps consistently as a fourth-round pick as a rookie in complicated defense. Despite being a safety, Woodson is tied with Tonga and Barmore in total run stops, and his two PBUs are tied for second among all rookie safeties.
Rookie we need to see more from: RB TreVeyon Henderson
The rookie sensation has broken out with the backfield firmly in his control, and I don’t anticipate him looking back anytime soon. He’s erupted for 558 yards on the season already despite not double-digit carries a game until Week 8 against the Browns, and Henderson has begun to show what made him such a coveted draft prospect. Time to keep feeding him down the stretch to take some of the pressure off of Drake Maye.
Underachiever: WR Kyle Williams
It’s not fair to call Kyle Williams a disappointment, but relative to expectations preseason, he hasn’t quite delivered on the draft buzz. Part of that is the emergence of Boutte, but when he has been on the field, Williams and Maye haven’t been on the same page outside of a couple of big plays. There’s still plenty of time for him to figure it out, however, and I’m optimistic on his long-term outlook.
draft class overall grade: A
Coaching report card
Grade: A+
Mike Vrabel has turned a 4-13 team into the top team in the AFC in a single offseason, showing off outstanding leadership at the helm of his former team. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has Drake Maye playing like an MVP, while the tag team of defensive coordinators in Terrell Williams and Zak Kuhr have them playing ferocious and physical on that side of the ball. Players like K’Lavon Chaisson are resurrecting their careers this season in New England, and the coaching staff is a significant reason why.
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