The New England Patriots area headed back to the postseason. With a 28-24 comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football, the Patriots clinched a playoff berth in their first season under head coach Mike Vrabel.

The Patriots had a chance to earn a playoff spot last week and could have won the AFC East with a win over the Buffalo Bills. Despite building a 21-0 lead, New England fell to Josh Allen and the Bills and had to wait another week to earn a playoff spot.

Though the Patriots still have not wrapped up the AFC East crown, they are now assured to be in the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

That playoff game did not end for New England. Bill Belichick's Patriots, led by quarterback Mac Jones, were throttled 47-17 by the Bills in the Wild Card round that year.

Belichick departed from the Patriots in January 2024. Jerod Mayo took over, but was fired after a 4-13 season.

That paved the way for Vrabel to take over this year, leading New England to a surprising playoff run that included a 10-game winning streak that finally was snapped last week against Buffalo.

With second-year quarterback Drake Maye quickly vaulting to become the face of the franchise, the Patriots became one of the top teams in the AFC much faster than most anticipated. 

The Patriots close out their schedule on the road against the New York Jets and at home against the Miami Dolphins. Wins in both games would clinch the AFC East title.

If Buffalo loses to the Philadelphia Eagles next week and the Patriots beat the Jets, that would also clinch the division for New England.

Patriots come back to beat Ravens

Maye guided New England to a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, rallying his team from an 11-point deficit to a 28-24 victory that dealt a devastating blow to the Ravens' playoff hopes.

Down 24-13 in the fourth quarter, Maye answered with a 37-yard scoring strike to Kyle Williams, and a 2-point conversion pass to Rhamondre Stevenson made it a three-point game with 9:01 to play.

After New England forced a punt, the Patriots drove 89 yards for the winning touchdown. Baltimore's pass rush, which was nonexistent earlier in the game, was much better toward the end, but Maye showed why he's emerged as an MVP candidate while leading New England (12-3) to first place in the AFC East.

He threw for a career-best 380 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The winning touchdown came on one of New England's few productive running plays, a 21-yard dash by Stevenson with 2:07 left.

The Ravens, who lost Lamar Jackson to a back injury in the second quarter, turned the ball over on their final drive on a fumble by Zay Flowers. Baltimore (7-8) is now two games behind AFC North-leading Pittsburgh with two to play. To win the division, the Ravens would need to win at Green Bay and Pittsburgh and have the Steelers lose to lowly Cleveland in Week 17.

Tyler Huntley — who led Baltimore to a huge win in Week 8 over Chicago when Jackson was out with a hamstring problem — helped the Ravens rally. Flowers scored on an 18-yard end around to give the Ravens a 17-13 lead in the third quarter. Baltimore then snuffed out a fake punt near midfield and went ahead by 11 on Henry's 2-yard run with 12:50 left in the fourth.

But that was the last time Henry touched the ball — another baffling set of decisions in another fourth-quarter collapse by a Baltimore team that's had plenty of those in recent years.

The Ravens took a 7-0 lead on a 21-yard run by Henry — just their third first-quarter touchdown in nine home games this season. After Maye was intercepted, Baltimore's offense was rolling before Henry fumbled. New England tied it on a 1-yard pass from Maye to Hunter Henry.

It was 10-all at halftime.

Tre'Veyon Henderson among Patriots injuries

New England running back Tre'Veyon Henderson left Sunday night's game in the second quarter with a head injury.

Henderson was slow getting up after a carry in Baltimore territory. He was able to walk off the field, but then headed to the tunnel a short time later. He was later ruled out.

Henderson entered the game with 773 yards rushing and is a Rookie of the Year candidate. He had touchdown runs of 52 and 65 yards in last week's loss to Buffalo, but had just 3 yards on five carries before exiting against Baltimore.

Up next

Patriots: At the New York Jets next Sunday.

Ravens: At Green Bay on Saturday night.