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Mike Vrabel has built the offense around Drake Maye's arm, movement and play-action throws. The defense stays multiple so Christian Gonzalez and the front can change the matchup from week to week.
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New England Patriots 2026 Team Rankings and Ratings
PFM Archetype
Built to Break You
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86.0PFM Team Scorei
PFM Verdict
Why PFM Ranks the Patriots Here
Drake Maye has already given New England the quarterback upside it was missing, and Mike Vrabel can build a flexible defense around Christian Gonzalez and Milton Williams. The Patriots rank No. 7 because that foundation is strong enough for the playoff mix. The offensive line is the limitation; Maye cannot be asked to carry every broken protection and difficult third down.
NFL Rank#7Current PFM ranking
AFC Rank#2Among AFC teams
QB Stability#14Drake Maye · Built to Trust
Season OutlookPlayoff Contender
Head coachMike Vrabel
Offensive coordinatorJosh McDaniels
Defensive coordinatorZak Kuhr
PFM Team DNA
View all NFL team rankingsNew England Patriots Team DNA
Defensive Consistency
Christian Gonzalez can erase one receiving threat and Milton Williams can disrupt the pocket. New England still needs those wins to become third-down stops so Drake Maye is not asked to carry another low-possession game.
New England's Roster Has to Catch Up to Drake Maye
The gap between quarterback and roster strength is a warning. Drake Maye can keep the offense functional, but depth and support still decide how far New England can go. The roster question is offensive-line protection around a young quarterback carrying a larger share of the offense.
New England Can Win on Either Side of the Ball
New England is one of the few teams with both the offense and defense in the strength range. A play-action and spread offense can build a lead, while a multiple defense can protect it.
PFM ROAD AHEAD
2026 New England Patriots Strength of Schedule
New England owns one of the tougher schedules in the league because Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills form the hardest part of it. PFM has the schedule No. 9 with an opponent average of 81.4 and 6 games against current top-10 teams. The road is not difficult from start to finish, but the stretch around Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills leaves little room for an off week.
Difficulty Rank#9No. 1 is toughest
Opponent PFM Avg.81.4Average across opponents
Next 3 Avg.84.6Upcoming opponents
Top-10 Matchups6Games vs. current top 10
Away games left8
Top-10 road opponents3
at Seattle Seahawks91.3 PFM · #1
Sep 9 · 8:20 pmAwayTop 10
vs. Pittsburgh Steelers79.1 PFM · #17
Sep 20 · 1:00 pmHome
at Jacksonville Jaguars83.3 PFM · #14
Sep 27 · 1:00 pmAway
Toughest remaining opponent: Seattle Seahawks at 91.3 PFM.
PFM Reporter
New England Patriots PFM Analysis
All eyes are on AJ Brown as the Patriots start training camp. Drake Maye has some serious weapons now with Brown and Romeo Doubs stretching the field.
Analysis updatedJune 19, 2026
Around the League
League Context
Closest Team DNA Match
Built Like Chicago Bears
Chicago BearsMatch distance: 1.71 rating points
Shared profile: QB Stability and Explosiveness.
New England uses the offensive line to force coverage adjustments before the snap; Chicago gets matchup leverage from the offensive line. QB Stability and Explosiveness line up because each quarterback has a fast answer that can turn an ordinary completion or scramble into a drive-changing gain. The defensive gap favors New England, with the stronger mix of rush and coverage built around coverage and the defensive front.
Where they separate: Defense. Patriots hold the stronger current rating.
Division Pressure
AFC East
Buffalo is still the AFC East team New England has to pass. Drake Maye narrows the quarterback gap and Christian Gonzalez gives the defense a counter, but the Patriots' line must hold up against Buffalo's front for that comparison to matter in the fourth quarter.
Supporting Team Information
More About the Team
Badge History1 active badge · Last verified change Jul 17, 2026
- Jul 17, 2026 · Badge tracking startedEarned Big-Play Threat
New England Patriots in the Super Bowl Era
New England is 6–6 in the Super Bowl and last won in Super Bowl LIII in 2019.
- Super Bowl Titles
- 6
- Super Bowl Appearances
- 12
- Super Bowl Record
- 6–6
- Last Appearance
- 2026 Super Bowl LX
PFM ratings updated
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