Where Patriots Stand in AFC Playoff Seedings After Week 13
The New England Patriots' 28-22 loss to the Houston Texans in Week 13 had some negative playoff implications for the reigning Super Bowl champions.
With the Patriots' loss, and the Baltimore Ravens' big win over the San Francisco 49ers earlier in the day, New England heading into Week 14 no longer holds the no. 1 playoff seed in the AFC - it is now held by the Ravens, who have the same record (10-2) as the Patriots, but are 1-0 against New England this season.
Here are the complete AFC seedings after Week 13:
1) Baltimore Ravens (10-2)
2) New England Patriots (10-2)
3) Houston Texans (8-4)
4) Kansas City Chiefs (8-4)
5) Buffalo Bills (9-3)
6) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)
Those in the hunt for a playoff spot in the conference are the Tennessee Titans (7-5), the Oakland Raiders (6-6), and the Indianapolis Colts (6-6).
With the Chiefs, Bengals, Bills and Dolphins remaining on their schedule, the Patriots need to win out if they want to guarantee a first-round bye at the start of the postseason. Depending how the Chiefs, who play New England in Week 14, and the Texans finish their seasons could heavily impact the Patriots' standing in the seedings. New England could drop as low as no. 5 if they lose to the Chiefs and Bills, or they could stay rise back to no. 1 with some quality wins to close out the regular season and some losses from Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
Seeing how New England played in Week 13 should scare those who worry about 42-year-old quarterback Tom Brady not getting a week of rest after Week 17. The Patriots offense showed no rhythm against Houston, forcing Brady to throw 23 incompletions in a game where New England's receivers couldn't get open or on the same page with their QB.
Turning the page and improving quickly will be needed if New England wants to take down Andy Reid's Chiefs at Gillette Stadium this week, which will keep their hopes of a playoff bye alive and in hand.
