The New England Patriots, after posting a 14-3 record, are entering the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the AFC. While there are several reasons for the Pats’ stunning turnaround, the performance of the team’s offense is the biggest reason for their success.
In his first full season as the team’s starting quarterback, Drake Maye emerged as a de facto MVP candidate under center. With a solid supporting cast of playmakers, Maye has had answers for every defense he’s gone up against so far this season.
It’s been tough to ignore just how efficient New England has been on offense this season, and it turns out there is a good reason for that. With the 2025 campaign in the books, the Patriots have finished the year with the NFL’s best offense, based on EPA (expected points added) per play.
Maye has been stellar from the get-go this season, but it’s been the development of the rushing attack that has really bolstered the offense. Sure, it doesn’t have a positive Rush EPA per play, but during the second half of the season, TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson turned themselves into one of the top duos in the league.
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It’s worth noting that New England faced a historically easy schedule, but some of the opposing defenses they went up against presented big challenges. With that in mind, there’s reason to believe that this unit that this group can continue producing at a high level in the playoffs.
The Patriots will face a big challenge right off the bat in the postseason, as they will welcome the Los Angeles Chargers to town over the weekend. Kickoff for this wild-card contest is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Sunday night.
Featured image via David Butler II/Imagn Images
