The New England Patriots earned their first victory of the 2025 season in Week 2 when they took down the Miami Dolphins by a score of 33-27. According to one NFL power rankings list, this win earned the Pats a shocking move up the board.
After a rough outing in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Pats put together a more complete performance in Week 2. Drake Maye and the offense had much more success moving the football, and while the defense had trouble slowing down Miami’s aerial attack, they sealed the deal with a pair of huge stops in the fourth quarter.
It wasn’t a perfect game by any means, but it was the sort of victory New England needed after a rough start to the season. In popular X account MLFootball’s latest NFL power rankings, the win led to the Patriots making a massive jump up the board, going from No. 24 to No. 14.
The 10-spot leap made the Patriots the biggest mover in these power rankings, and it’s safe to say that their ranking caught a lot of fans by surprise. Sure, the team looked solid in Week 2, but are they better than established playoff contenders in the AFC like the Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans?
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Time will tell, but it goes to show how there’s a lot of excitement surrounding New England currently. Add in the fact that superstar cornerback Christian Gonzalez may be closing in on a return to action from a hamstring injury, and the Patriots could end up emerging as a dark-horse playoff contender.
For now, it feels like this ranking is a bit too generous for the Pats, as they still have a lot to prove. If they can take down the Steelers in their Week 3 matchup, though, then maybe the Patriots’ spot on this list could make more sense.