The Patriots got the job done against the Jets Sunday, earning themselves a week off by clinching a first-round bye with a 38-3 win to end the regular season.
The team went into the half with a 21-3 lead after three first-half touchdown passes from Tom Brady to James White, Rex Burkhead and Phillip Dorsett.
A Kyle Van Noy fumble recovery and return to the end zone extended their lead to 28-3 in the third quarter, and they didn't look back from there as they cruised to victory.
With the win, the Patriots locked themselves into a top-two seed in the AFC, but the Chiefs win over the Raiders kept them from home-field advantage in the playoffs.
The Patriots' first playoff game will be played January 13 at 1 p.m. against either the Texans, Ravens or Chargers.
>>MORE: Top seed still in play as Patriots play Jets in Week 17
Devin McCourty left the game early with a head injury after he and Dont'a Hightower were both injured on the same play. Hightower returned to the field for Van Noy's fumble return.
LIVE UPDATES:
3:48 p.m.: Tom Brady throws his fourth touchdown pass of the game, this time to Julian Edelman, as the Patriots take a 38-3 lead.
3:36 p.m.: Devin McCourty was downgraded to out as the Patriots wound down the clock in the fourth quarter.
3:28 p.m.: Stephen Gostkowski adds on to the Patriots' lead, with a field goal making it 31-3 in the fourth quarter.
3:17 p.m.: The Patriots head into the fourth quarter with a 28-3 lead over the Jets, just 15 minutes away from clinching a first-round bye in the playoffs.
2:54 p.m.: Devin McCourty is now listed as questionable to return after leaving the game with a head injury.
2:51 p.m.: Kyle Van Noy takes a fumble recovery to the house for the Patriots, increasing the lead to 28-3 in the second half.
2:21 p.m.: The Patriots head into the half with a 21-3 lead, with Tom Brady going 16-for-22 with three touchdown passes on 165 yards through the air.
1:55 p.m.: Following a Jets fumble and a big penalty on a play that would've forced a fourth down, Tom Brady finds Phillip Dorsett on the move to extend the lead to 21-3 in the second quarter.
1:45 p.m.: Tom Brady finds Rex Burkhead in the end zone with a picture-perfect pass to extend the Patriots lead to 14-3 on an 18-yard touchdown.
1:34 p.m.: The Jets cut into the Patriots lead in the first quarter with a field goal, making it a 7-3 game with 54 seconds left in the frame.
1:23 p.m.: Tom Brady connects with James White for a 17-yard touchdown pass to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
1 p.m.: The Patriots open up the game on offense, but stall out after Tom Brady can't convert on a pass to James White on third down at midfield.
11:30 a.m.: Cordarrelle Patterson is listed as inactive for today's game, the most notable omission from the Patriots lineup as they look to wrap up a first-round bye.