The New England Patriots completely turned things around during the 2025 NFL season, following a disastrous campaign the previous year under head coach Jerod Mayo. Their awful finish actually helped them, as it determined their strength of schedule for the new season. Here’s how it all worked out for them amid their impressive rebound.
How Did the Patriots’ Strength of Schedule Benefit From the Jerod Mayo Year?
A team’s schedule in any season is the product of a predetermined formula, partially based on the results of the following year. Games against teams not within a whole division on a team’s specific schedule are played against the corresponding teams that finished in the same standing in that division in the previous season.
This means that because the Patriots finished in last place in the AFC East last year, they got to face off against other teams that finished in last place in their divisions.
This gave them one of the easiest strength-of-schedule rankings entering the 2025 NFL season, making it the third-weakest when based on their opponents’ records from the previous year.
A recent report from The Sporting News outlined how the Patriots’ strength of schedule actually became even easier as the season progressed. Their weak list of opponents continued to struggle during the 2025 season, giving New England one of the most favorable schedules in NFL history.
They had the tenth-easiest strength of schedule ever registered, according to their opponents’ records during the currently ongoing season.
All of this contributed to the Patriots posting an impressive 14-3 record in their first year with Mike Vrabel as their head coach, completely reversing their 4-13 finish from the previous year. They also went from last place to winning the AFC East division and earning the second seed in their conference for the playoffs.
It may have also benefited second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who, along with Matthew Stafford, is one of the two overall favorites to be named the NFL MVP for this year. Maye finished higher in PFSN QB Impact metrics rankings, but Stafford was voted the first-team All-Pro quarterback, so it will be interesting to see which one of them likely wins the award.
Before the voting results are revealed, the Patriots will begin their quest to potentially make a run through the playoffs and into the Super Bowl. Their journey starts in the Wild Card round, where they will host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football.
