Patriots schedule update: Week 18 game against Dolphins to be played at 4:25 p.m.

The New England Patriots’ regular season finale versus the Miami Dolphins will be kicked off at 4:25 p.m. ET next Sunday, the NFL announced earlier today. The league made the Week 18 schedule official after the conclusion of Week 17’s game, moving the contest back from its original slot at 1 p.m. ET.

The Patriots’ game in Miami will now be played simultaneously with the Buffalo Bills’ against the New York Jets. In case of a New England win and Buffalo loss, the Patriots would be division champions. If the Bills win, they successfully defend their AFC East title regardless of who wins between the Patriots and Dolphins.

New England still has something to play for no matter what happens in Buffalo: a Patriots win would help them secure at least the fifth seed in the AFC playoff picture; a loss might drop them down to the sixth spot.

Miami, meanwhile, was eliminated from playoff contention due to its loss in Tennessee on Sunday.

The full Week 18 schedule looks as follows.

Saturday, January 8

4:30 p.m. ET

• Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos

8:15 p.m. ET

• Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday, January 9

1:00 p.m. ET

• Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
• Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns
• Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions
• Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans
• Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars
• Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings
• Washington Football Team at New York Giants

4:25 p.m. ET

• New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
• New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
• New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
• San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
• Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

8:20 p.m. ET

• Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders