On Sunday, the Patriots moved to 14-3 to close out their 2025 regular season, beating the Dolphins 38-10 and clinching the No. 2 seed in the AFC for this upcoming postseason run.
In doing so, the franchise set an NFL record for 14-win seasons, as Sunday marked the sixth time in franchise history the team was able to achieve that mark (2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2016, 2025). In four of those previous five instances, New England advanced to the Super Bowl. And in three of those four, they won the whole damn thing.
Obviously a lot of football left to be played between now and Super Bowl LX, with their first obstacle being the Chargers (11-6) this upcoming Wild Card Weekend. The Patriots will host Los Angeles on Sunday night in primetime on NBC and Peacock, with kickoff set for 8:00 p.m. ET.
The last time the Chargers came to Foxborough, it was a 40-7 drubbing by LA in Jerod Mayo’s second-to-last game as head coach.
This time around, things are very different.
Head coach Mike Vrabel has completely flipped the culture, and second-year quarterback Drake Maye is among the favorites to win NFL MVP. A revamped coaching staff, fresh faces across the roster and a draft class that is hitting in a way we haven’t seen in New England in quite some time has the Patriots playing some of their best football of the season at the exact right time heading into January.
What are the Patriots-Hall-of-Fame-linebacker-turned-head-coach’s initial thoughts on the Chargers as an opponent?
He talked about it on Monday’s Greg Hill Show.
"Well, this is a big - this is a physical football team with [a] big lineman,” said Vrabel. “They got a big defensive lineman that plays fullback. And the defense is good. They play a very good style of football defensively. They make it hard on you - bunch of different, mixed quarters, coverages. The quarterback is [as] good as anybody - can scramble, is tough, can make the throws. So, good, big receivers. It'll be a big challenge to get going on these guys, and like I said, learn who they are and try to put a plan together."
In a follow-up, WEEI’s Jermaine Wiggins asked his former teammate what type of problems Jim Harbaugh can create as the coach on the opposing sideline. After Vrabel made fun of Wiggy for pronouncing his last name “HAHBAH” with that Boston accent we all love, he talked about the challenges of coaching against a guy who has previously brought a team to the Super Bowl (San Francisco in 2012).
“They have a specific style, and their style is built for the postseason,” said Vrabel. “You know what I mean? They play good defense, they're physical, they don't beat themselves. And those are things that you have to understand.”
“Michigan guy - you must not be a big fan,” said WEEI’s Chris Curtis. “Did you ever have your paths cross with Jim Harbaugh?”
“Not as a player, no,” said Vrabel, who attended Ohio State from 1993 to 1996, almost a decade after Harbaugh was a star for the Wolverines. “He is a little older - yeah, no, not as a player. But great family - good football family, excellent coaches, and they're good for the game. And he obviously loves football, and I'm excited to prepare our team.”
As of publishing, the Patriots are a 3.5-point home favorite, sitting on the moneyline at -200. The total is set at 45.5 at BetMGM.
Tune in each and every Monday throughout the football season to Patriots Monday on WEEI. Head coach Mike Vrabel joins The Greg Hill Show at 6:30 a.m. ET, and quarterback Drake Maye joins WEEI Afternoons.