New England Patriots

The Patriots are set to play on Sunday without at least seven starters.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) makes a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass.
Drake Maye and the Patriots are looking to win their 13th game of the season. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

By Conor Ryan

December 28, 2025 | 11:36 AM

1 minute to read

The New England Patriots clinched a playoff berth last week via their fourth-quarter comeback win against the Ravens.

But Mike Vrabel and his team still have plenty to play for going into the final two weeks of the 2025 season, even against one of the cellar-dwellers in the AFC. 

Fresh off that primetime victory against Baltimore, the Patriots (12-3) will travel to MetLife Stadium to take on the Jets (3-12) on Sunday afternoon. 

Kick-off is set for 1:00 p.m. from East Rutherford. You can watch the game on FOX, as well as listen on 98.5 The Sports Hub. 

The Jets aren’t expected to be a legitimate threat to New England — especially with Brady Cook set to start at QB for New York. Still, New England’s playoff path is still unsettled when it comes to the team both clinching the AFC East and trying to leapfrog the Broncos for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

The Patriots are the projected favorites going into a matchup against New York, but New England is also operating with a shorthanded unit — as the team has ruled out seven starters, including Milton Williams, Robert Spillane, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, and others. 

As the Patriots try to make it two wins in a row, follow along here for live updates from Sunday’s game, and check back once the game wraps for some early observations.

LIVE UPDATES

11:30: A look at the Patriots inactives. A long list, as expected after Mike Vrabel’s comments earlier this week.

In terms of positive news, both TreVeyon Henderson and Pop Douglas are active for today’s game. Still, a pretty shorthanded roster will take the field today against the Jets.

11:15: Morgan Moses is set to earn a nice pay bump after reaching the 90 percent playtime threshold this season, per Adam Schefter. A nice bonus for a veteran right tackle who has played a key role in stabilizing New England’s O-line.

Patriots OT Morgan Moses is set to make an extra $1.5 million for reaching the 90 percent playtime threshold that he is expected to lock in during today’s game vs. the Jets. pic.twitter.com/kKei8ehTC0

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 28, 2025

11:00: Drake Maye and the Patriots are on the scene in MetLife.

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Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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