Patriots Prettier Playoff Picture: Helped By Jets Loss?
FOXBORO — With a win, they’re back in … for now.
Though the New England Patriots did not play Sunday, a pair of games on the Week 14 slate had an impact on their playoff aspirations as they prepare to take on the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night at State Farm Stadium.
The Pats received an assist from an unlikely source in the form of the Buffalo Bills. The reigning AFC East champions, who defeated New England 24-10 in Week 13, defeated the New York Jets 20-12 at Highmark Stadium. New York’s loss dropped it to 7-6. With the Patriots holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Jets, a victory over the Cardinals would place them ahead of the Jets for the third and final AFC wild-card spot.
The seventh seed is currently held by the Los Angeles Chargers, who held on for a 23-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night to improve to 7-6. Still, the Patriots would hold the upper hand based on conference record and strength of schedule, should they earn the win.
Here is an up-to-date look at the AFC playoff race entering Monday:
1. Buffalo Bills (10-3; AFC East leader - first round bye)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (10-3; AFC West leader)
3. Baltimore Ravens (9-4; AFC North leader)
4. Tennessee Titans (7-6; AFC South leader)
5. Cincinnati Bengals (9-4; first wild card)
6. Miami Dolphins (8-5; second wild card)
7. Los Angeles Chargers (7-6; third wild card)
In the Hunt:
8. New York Jets (7-6)
9. New England Patriots (6-6)
Per the analytics of FiveThirtyEight, New England maintains a 25-percent chance of making the playoffs, with five games remaining. However, a win over Arizona would increase their odds of qualifying for the postseason to 39 percent. Conversely, a loss would drop them to 12 percent.
Following their matchup with the Cardinals, the Pats will turn their attention to Week 15 and a Dec. 18 date with the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. From there, the team returns to the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium for games against the Cincinnati Bengals (Dec. 24) and Miami Dolphins (Jan. 1). The Patriots are set to close the season in Orchard Park, NY against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 8.
The Patriots and Cardinals are set for kickoff at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday from State Farm Stadium.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots
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