In the current standings, a Patriots loss today would hurt but not destroy their season. It mostly affects their chances at winning the AFC East and securing favorable playoff seeding.
Division implications
If the Patriots lose to the Bills today, they would drop to 11–3 and fail to clinch the AFC East this week. They would still control much of their destiny, likely needing to beat division rivals such as the Jets and Dolphins in the remaining games to win the AFC East on tiebreakers.
Playoff seeding and odds
A loss reduces their odds of a top AFC seed and a first‑round bye, shifting probabilities more toward lower seeds or at least losing home‑field advantage. However, their overall playoff chances would remain strong given their current record; the main cost is seeding and path difficulty rather than missing the postseason altogether.
Narrative and momentum
Losing a high‑stakes game to Buffalo would also change the narrative around the team, from “potential top seed” to a contender with exposed weaknesses, especially on defense and in closing out games. Coaches and players have already emphasized that the key after such a loss is preventing one bad game from snowballing into a late‑season slide.