The Buffalo Bills’ nightmare 2025 postseason is finally over, and thankfully, it ended without the fanbase’s worst fears becoming reality. The New England Patriots didn’t get the job done, losing Super Bowl LX to the Seattle Seahawks.
The Patriots were, in a word, embarrassed. It was clear early on that Seattle’s defense was capable of dictating the pace and flow of the game, and that’s exactly what they did, shutting out New England for three quarters and some change. While a historical shutout would have been nice, just seeing the Patriots fall short on the biggest stage will have to do for Bills fans this offseason.
In reality, the Patriots and Bills are back at even, looking up at the Seahawks as the reigning champions, searching to find their route to Super Bowl glory next season. Still, that feeling that the Patriots leapfrogged Buffalo in 2025 isn’t washed away just yet, even after New England was dragged through the mud in Santa Clara.
What the Super Bowl result says about the AFC East hierarchy heading into 2026
Bills fans had no choice but to hate-watch Super Bowl LX, learning as it unfolded that while Josh Allen and the Bills would have had their work cut out for them against Seattle’s defense, too, they surely might have put up a better fight than New England did. The Patriots’ offense wasn’t quite ready for the stage, but their defense answered the call.
New England shut down NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, holding him to one of his worst statistical performances of the season. The Patriots brought heavy pressure on Sam Darnold, making great headway in shutting down Seattle’s passing game overall. A lack of answers for Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III eventually undid the Patriots defensively, but it wasn’t without New England getting in a few licks, especially later in the game, as they grew desperate.
Nonetheless, New England’s MVP candidate couldn’t overcome Seattle’s defense, and the Patriots couldn’t rattle Sam Darnold enough to create their own opportunities. Now, New England heads into the offseason with some confidence, having reached the Super Bowl, but humbled knowing they aren’t quite ready to lift the Lombardi Trophy.
How that affects the Patriots’ performance next season will be something for Bills fans to watch out for. New England won’t have quite as easy a schedule next season, playing a first-place schedule instead of last. On top of that, the whole NFL world just saw the Patriots’ biggest weakness on full display, that being their offensive line. Their response to being embarrassed in the Super Bowl with those factors in mind will be telling of their eventual trajectory.
The Patriots were underdogs in Super Bowl LX for a reason, but that left the door open for New England to shock the NFL world with intentions on cashing in on another run at the top of the NFL for years to come. Falling short of that, the Patriots’ future isn’t so certain.
That’s not to say anyone should expect the Patriots to fall off from contention entirely. But in the same breath, the manner by which they reached and lost the Super Bowl, it’s clear that any worry that New England may have surpassed the Bills as Super Bowl LXI favorites should be comfortably put to rest.
Certainly, both teams will be competitive at the top of the AFC East next season. It doesn’t make the challenge any easier, but the results of Super Bowl LX helped remind Bills fans of something they may have overlooked in their fears about another Patriots championship run: These definitely aren’t the same Patriots as you grew up rooting against.