Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes sustained a torn ACL in Kansas City’s 16-13 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

Mahomes will miss the remainder of the season, and following this loss, the Chiefs have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.

The Patriots won’t have to go through Kansas City to make the Super Bowl, but the Chiefs can still impact New England’s playoff path.

Currently, the Patriots are sitting in the No. 2 spot in the AFC, behind the Broncos. Denver has a 12-2 record while New England has an 11-3 record.

The Broncos have three games left against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Chiefs and the Chargers.

Although the Jaguars and Chargers are both currently playoff contenders, the Broncos will face them in Denver, a tough venue.

However, the Broncos will face the Chiefs in Kansas City, a game that could have easily slipped away from them if Mahomes had been healthy.

With Mahomes injured, Denver could easily win the game, which is essential to playoff seeding.

After the Patriots fell to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, New England will need to win all its remaining games and hope the Broncos lose two to secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Denver could still face a tough challenge against the Chiefs, but with Mahomes sidelined and Gardner Minshew set to start, it should be easier for Denver to come away with the win.

Securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC is crucial, as the team will have a bye in the first round of the postseason and home-field advantage throughout.

New England could undoubtedly benefit from a bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason, especially with a young team.

Mahomes’ injury now has a significant impact on where the Broncos could end up seeded in the AFC, potentially hurting the Patriots’ chances of winning the conference.

The New England Patriots may have lost to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, but it wasn’t because of rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson. The former Ohio State Buckeyes star put together another dominant outing for the Pats, and in the process, he further solidified his chances of winning one of the NFL’s major end-of-season awards.

A second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Henderson got off to a bit of a slow start this season, but he’s taken his game to another level over the past five games. During that stretch, Henderson has racked up 490 rushing yards and five touchdowns, in addition to 14 receptions for 81 yards and another score.

Henderson has quickly proven himself to be one of the most explosive offensive playmakers in the NFL, and it could earn him quite a prestigious accolade. If you ask NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he believes that Henderson has emerged as the frontrunner for the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

“Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson is a prime candidate to become the seventh Buckeyes player to earn an offensive or defensive ROY award since 2016,” Fowler wrote. “Henderson is tilting the odds in his favor after rushing for 490 yards and six touchdowns over the past five games.”

Without a clear leader in this race, Henderson’s late surge could be enough for him to take home this award. His role only seems to be expanding, too, so if he continues to rip off big plays over the team’s final three games, he could make the race for this award a wash.

At the end of the day, though, Henderson likely is more concerned about winning football games with the Patriots than taking home individual accolades. New England will look to get back in the win column in Week 16 when it takes on the Baltimore Ravens.

The New England Patriots will likely be taking note of several big moves that the Miami Dolphins made on Wednesday morning in the wake of being eliminated from playoff contention. One of the more notable moves saw former Patriots’ star pass rusher Matthew Judon get released by the team.

Judon’s first season with the Dolphins didn’t exactly go as expected. Despite playing in 13 games, Judon has just 19 tackles, one pass deflection and no sacks. With the postseason no longer a possibility for Miami, moving on from Judon and giving his snaps to younger guys makes a lot of sense.

However, Judon could be a useful asset for a playoff team, such as the Patriots. Judon enjoyed a successful three-year stint with New England, as he racked up 32 sacks in 39 games during his time with the team.

In his two seasons since leaving the Pats, Judon hasn’t exactly been all that impactful, but he could still have something to offer as a situational pass rusher, which just so happens to be one of the team’s biggest roster needs currently. Behind Harold Landry III and K’Lavon Chaison, there isn’t much depth for New England when it comes to its pass rush.

Over the past couple of weeks, the Patriots’ front seven on defense has struggled to win at the line of scrimmage. Part of that is due to Milton Williams being on injured reserve with an ankle injury, but after watching the Bills’ offense torch the Pats’ defense in Week 16, it’s clear some help could be used at this spot.

Judon could be the perfect answer to the problem. Sure, his stint in New England didn’t exactly come to a great end, but Judon has previously expressed an interest in returning to town. And if the Patriots can generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, that could help their defense round into form before it’s too late.

Several teams will likely show interest in Judon (assuming he clears waivers), but the Patriots’ familiarity with him could give them a leg up when it comes to their potential pursuit of him. If the stars align for New England, reuniting with Judon could be just what this defense needs as the playoffs draw near.