New England Patriots running back Treveyon Henderson (32) runs toward the end zone to score against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty
The Patriots don’t have to win the Super Bowl.
Of course they don’t. For the 2025 season to be a success, they don’t even have to get there.
But they have to win Sunday.
Entering the season, 14 wins would have been embraced as beyond-their-wildest-dreams success, no matter what happened in the postseason. A 350 percent increase in victories is amazing, but only in a vacuum.
Now that success has raised the bar. To avoid having that wild success flip to an extreme disappointment, they have to beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium.
It would be one thing if New England had drawn the Bills in the first round. Buffalo is an experienced and battle-tested group led by a superstar quarterback. They have already proven they can beat the Patriots in Foxborough. Despite being seeded sixth, the Bills are actually favored by a point in Jacksonville. If the No. 3 Jags lose, they can simply chalk it up to a bad draw.
The Patriots have no such cushion against the Chargers. New England is at home against a banged-up Southern California team in weather that will be plenty cold by kickoff on Sunday night. The Patriots are supposed to win.
If they lose Sunday, everything they accomplished will be delegitimized. Their magical run will turn into a cautionary tale. All that was once fantastic will be branded a fluke.
The credit for their success will shift from the greatness of Vrabel and Drake Maye to their historically bad schedule.
It’ll be on par with the Bruins getting upset by the Panthers in 2023 and the Knicks beating the Celtics last year. For the Patriots, it might be worse to lose Sunday than it would have been to just miss making the playoffs altogether.
Everyone who cast an MVP ballot for Matthew Stafford will feel validated.
If they lose, commentators will be lining up to take shots at them. Cam Newton will be unbearable with his continued unexplainable criticism of Maye.
The Chargers obviously shouldn’t be treated lightly. Jim Harbaugh is an odd duck, but he can clearly coach. He went to the NFC title game with Alex Smith and the Super Bowl with Colin Kaepernick. And Justin Herbert should be better than either of them. But the Patriots should be better
And they’ll need to be to validate this season.
Outtakes from a busy week...
Another bad spot for Trae Young
I would love to have seen what Trae Young would have become if he’d played alongside a player like Kevin Garnett.
Young is one of so many talented young guys in the NBA, who are put in the position of instantly being the face of a franchise for mediocre organizations, who don’t know how to nurture a 19-year-old talent into a 26-year-old cornerstone.
Some players have the internal instincts to do it, but others don’t know how to actually lead a team beyond being the top scorers.
For Young, it didn’t really work in Atlanta and it’s hard to picture it working in Washington. He has great talent, but it’s being wasted.
NERD is the word
Harvard Ners
Harvard basketball players Hana Belibi, Karlee White and Abigail Wright model the jerseys that will be given away as a promotion on Jan. 10 in Cambridge.Elevate Communications
Harvard’s women’s basketball team is doing a cool promotion on Saturday to highlight academic achievement and athletic success going hand-in-hand in their program.
Every fan at Lavietes Pavilion for Saturday’s game between Harvard and Columbia will get a “Nerds” jersey.
The uniform tops, which are designed with Harvard colors and fonts, will instead have “NERDS” across the front above the number. It’s drawing attention to the fact that the Crimson roster is filled with future scientists, economists, and engineers, who comprise one of the best teams in the Ivy League right now.
“‘Nerds can hoop too’ has become a mantra amongst the players on our roster,” coach Carrie Moore said.
Real Jeopardy! Clue
Sports clues from actual editions of America’s favorite quiz show. As always, mind the date
CATEGORY: FROM THE GRIDIRON TO TV***$600***
Date: Feb. 5, 2021
Later known as a TV dad, this man once signed with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie.
— Answer below
The Top 5
The Top 5 NFL Job Openings
5 — Atlanta Falcons?
4 — Arizona Cardinals
3 — New York Giants
2 — Miami Dolphins
1 — Baltimore Ravens
Today in Boston Sports History
Jan. 9
1951 — The Marines recalled Ted Williams for the Korean War.
1981 — Phil Esposito, then with the Rangers, played his final NHL game.
Lightning round
When I wrote that joining the MAC was bad for UMass’ men’s basketball program, I was assured by UMass people that when they entered the MAC, they’d dominate in men’s basketball. They’re 0-4.
Just when you thought Rob Manfred was out of bad ideas, he pulls a fresh batch of stinkers out of the oven. Baseball can’t get rid of this man fast enough.
Among the biggest problems with the College Football Playoff is that there’s no rhythm to when the games are played. Important regular-season college football games are almost always played on Saturday, but during the postseason, none of them are.
You heard it here. There will be at least one NFL playoff coach fired when his team exits this weekend.
The Red Sox owners sold the Penguins for $1.8 billion, but couldn’t afford Pete Alonso.
Real Jeopardy! Question:
Who is Ed O’Neill?
Finally...
Happy National Static Electricity Day to those who celebrate