After the week’s disappointing victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots went from being a dark horse in the playoffs.
But the Patriots’ top playoff chances began with a vital warning:
“Assuming they defeated the Houston Texans 2-7 in Week 11. . . “
Well, they didn’t.
The Patriots set the fire through Deshaun Watson, defeated through asymmetrical offensive functionality and lost to the Texans 27-20 on Sunday at NRG Stadium, reducing them to 4-6 in the season.
New England’s chances of qualifying for the playoffs, which it has done every year since 2008, were slim before the loss, but now they are frankly infinitesimal.
With six AFC groups ranked 7-3 or more and 3 more in 6-4, the Patriots would almost want to finish 10-6 to have the chance to enter, even with the additional spot added this season. .
Is that possible? Theoretically.
It has happened five times since the NFL calendar rose to 16 games in 1978, according to pro football reference, most recently through Aaron Rodgers and “Run The Table” of the Green Bay Packers in 2016. Green Bay won 8 in a row that year after 4-6, winning the NFC championship game before losing the Atlanta Falcons.
The 2012 Washington Redskins, the 1995 Detroit Lions, the 1994 Patriots and the 1991 San Francisco 49ers won six in a row to finish 10-6. Washington, Detroit and New England lost in the wildcard circular after their respective end-of-season rallies. San Francisco missed the playoffs. (A total of 203 groups have been 4-6 since 1978).
“I mean, it’s a must-see victory for us in the last three or four weeks,” said the patriots’ deep, Adrian Phillips, after Sunday’s defeat. “Lately we have six defeats. That’s what it is. You can’t lose one. So we feel it when we had five defeats, but it is even more so now . . . We know our back is against the wall.
However, the Patriots’ remaining schedule is a bassist, and they have not demonstrated the ability to string combined forged victories over quality warships (or any opponent, actually). His last six games are:
vs Arizona Cardinals (6-4) to los Angeles Chargers (3-7) to Los Angeles Rams (6-3) to Miami Dolphins (6-4) vs Buffalo Bills (7-3) against. New York Jets (0-10)
If the season were over today, the Cardinals, Rams and Bills would be in the playoffs. The Dolphins are a tiebreaker to the AFC’s last wildcard spot, and their stadium has been a hot spot for visiting Patriots teams. game of more than 8 issues throughout the year. New England needed a 51-yard basket at the last minute to beat the Jets two weeks ago.
The Patriots, who lately 11th in the AFC and 3rd in the East AFC, will win some of those games. They’re probably going to disappoint a team or two, as they did in front of the Ravens in Week 10. a row, for this team, opposed to those war parts, are simply unrealistic.