Jerod Mayo admits that Patriots could play to keep No. 1 pick in Week 18

The New York Giants gave the New England Patriots the best possible Christmas gift on Sunday. It arrived a few days late, but the folks in Foxboro will cherish it all the same.

With their shocking 45-33 win over the Indianapolis Colts, the Giants ceded control of the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to New England. Drew Lock put together the best performance of his brief career, completing 17-of-23 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns. It was New York's third victory of the season, and it could prevent the Giants from getting their much-needed QB of the future.

We can call it the 'Shedeur Sanders jinx' after the Colorado QB and widely projected No. 1 pick donned Giants cleats before the Buffaloes' bowl game. New York will now require extreme luck — i.e., a Patriots win over first-place Buffalo in Week 18 — to regain control of top billing next April.

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo seems to understand the assignment. Buffalo doesn't have much to play for next week, but the Patriots are still heavy underdogs by default. It sure sounds like New England is also willing to go the extra mile to ensure that next week's game results in an extremely valuable 'L.'

Jerod Mayo, Patriots seem prepared to tank hard in Week 18 matchup with Bills

When asked if the Patriots might roll out the tanks in Week 18, Mayo didn't make much of an effort at coyness. He told reporters that "everything is on the table," including sitting Drake Maye for non-injury reasons.

It's a simple calculus at this point in the season. New England has no reason to win next week and no reason to risk the health of its newly-minted franchise quarterback. Nothing particularly good can come from trotting Maye out there against a scrappy Bills defense. Let Jacoby Brissett finish what he started and secure New England's position atop the draft board.

There is always a chance of tomfoolery in Week 18. Buffalo has the No. 2 seed locked up and ought to sit Josh Allen, while the Patriots' players couldn't care less about queueing up their potential replacement with the first pick. That said, all it takes is one more loss for New England to wield immense power over the league's affairs in April.

The Patriots don't even "need" the No. 1 pick, in a sense. Maye is their QB of the future. That doesn't mean New England can't extract value in a potential trade, dangling the No. 1 pick to the highest bidder and seeing just how coveted Shedeur Sanders is around the league. If the Giants want the draft's top quarterback, it may now require a hearty outgoing package of future picks. Such is the price of Drew Lock remembering how to play football in late December.

If the Patriots do ultimately decide to keep the No. 1 pick, plenty of franchise-altering talents are on the board. Travis Hunter feels like the most obvious target, as he could address two gaping holes in the New England depth chart at once.