"The Patriots, with A.J. Brown, Caleb Lomu and Eli Raridon, among others, are unquestionably better than the 2025 team that just lost the Super Bowl. However, we can question whether New England can handle the rigors of a much more difficult schedule and an offensive line that will have no choice but to make drastic improvements. The Patriots aren't getting the respect their resume demands"
"That's why it was somewhat baffling to see Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr rank them as the eighth-best team in the AFC. Even worse, he has the 2026 Patriots ranked 13th overall in his post-NFL Draft power rankings."
"The discourse around the Patriots' 2025 schedule has gotten way overblown. Granted, the Patriots faced a much more favorable road to the postseason than most teams, but they beat three elite defenses (Chargers, Texans, Broncos) before falling to the best team in football in the Super Bowl."
"With all due respect, it's hard to believe that teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Cincinnati Bengals should be above the Patriots. Even the 6-11 Kansas City Chiefs, who lost Trent McDuffie and didn't add another impact wide receiver for Patrick Mahomes, are No. 4 after not even making the playoffs last season."
The Patriots lost four games in 2025, including the playoffs, with two defeats early in the regular season and another close loss to the Bills. Despite being defending AFC champions and reaching the Super Bowl, they were ranked eighth in the AFC and 13th overall for 2026. The ranking cited roster upgrades such as A.J. Brown, Caleb Lomu, and Eli Raridon, while questioning the team’s ability to handle a tougher schedule and an offensive line needing major improvement. Critics argue other teams were ranked higher without comparable recent success, and that the Patriots’ 2025 postseason path was not as weak as portrayed. They also note wins over elite defenses before losing to the eventual best team.
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