Bleacher Report dared to give Patriots the praise no one else would

"In a recent article from Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon, the Patriots were one of two teams to receive an A+ grade for the 2025 season, the only other being their Super Bowl opponent, the Seattle Seahawks. The Jaguars, Broncos, Bears, and Rams were the other teams to fall within the A range. It's clear New England has bested expectations, but the manner in which they've done so has been what's truly impressive. They won 14 games in 2025, going 16-1 across their last 17 matchups."

"Drake Maye has ascended not just into a franchise quarterback but an MVP candidate. Rookies Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson, and Craig Woodson have been major contributors, while under-the-radar additions like Cory Durden and K'Lavon Chaisson have also had major impacts. There's little doubt the Patriots will need to continue improving this offseason to make another run at the Super Bowl in 2026, but they've set an incredible baseline for the Mike Vrabel era."

"With the playoffs not featuring Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, or Lamar Jackson, 2025 was the clear opportunity for Josh Allen's squad to win (or at least get to) the Super Bowl. Instead, a four-turnover performance from Allen led to the Bills' being knocked out by the Broncos in the divisional round. While the roster wasn't Buffalo's best, the disappointment led to Sean McDermott's firing."

The Patriots received an A+ grade for the 2025 season and are one of only two teams to earn that mark, alongside the Seattle Seahawks. New England won 14 games and went 16-1 across their last 17 matchups. Drake Maye emerged as a franchise quarterback and MVP candidate. Rookies Will Campbell, TreVeyon Henderson, and Craig Woodson made major contributions, while additions like Cory Durden and K'Lavon Chaisson also impacted the roster. The team set a strong baseline for the Mike Vrabel era but still needs offseason improvements to pursue another Super Bowl run in 2026. AFC East rivals lagged behind, with the Bills, Dolphins, and Jets graded notably lower.

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