If the NFL season ended in the present day, the New England Patriots can be within the playoffs.
If solely.
The 6-4 Patriots are third within the AFC East. They are, considerably amazingly, the No. 6 seed within the AFC. Math helps. The Patriots beat the Jets twice. Both are 6-4.
The Patriots maintain the tiebreaking edge over the No. 7 seed Bengals. New England has a greater successful share in AFC video games. That gained’t change this week as a result of the Patriots play the Vikings on Thursday evening.
If Patriots followers need one thing to be grateful for, they’ll at all times fall again on being grateful for his or her workforce taking part in within the AFC East.
Even this yr.
Since Richard Nixon resigned the presidency on Aug. 9, 1974, the Patriots are the one AFC East workforce to win a Super Bowl.
That’s as sobering a stat as you’re going to see this aspect of the Bruins’ dwelling file this fall.
The Dolphins gained back-to-back Super Bowls in 1973-74. None since. Remember that the subsequent time the remaining members of the 1972 Dolphins sip champagne laced with Ensure. Relics of an historic time.
The Dolphins are taking part in terrifically however have a historical past of faltering late. They go to New England on Jan. 1. The Dolphins haven’t gained in January at Foxboro since 2006 and haven’t gained a playoff recreation in almost 23 years.
Dibs on the Jan. 2 “Frozen Fish” Herald headline.
I can hear Scott Zolak now, “Unicorns. Snowplows. Where’s the beef?”
Bill Belchick’s mastery over the AFC East goes all the best way again to Super Bowl 25. He engineered the Giants protection that stored Jim Kelly off the sector for 40:33 and held the Bills to 19 factors. Scott Norwood’s historic miss was no chip shot, both, coming from 47 yards out.
This season’s model of the Bills started the season as co-betting favorites to win Super Bowl 57 with the Buccaneers. They stay co-betting favorites to win Super Bowl 57 with the Chiefs ( +450) at DraftKings. If a Bills workforce is ever going to win a Super Bowl, this one is it. (BTW, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers are +1800, or 18-1.)
The Bills stay a powerful favourite to win the AFC East at -210. But that worth has shrunk in latest weeks.
Josh Allen is proficient, robust and ballsy. But his model of play might be fairly injurious. See Rob Gronkowski.
That leaves the Jets.
That final — and solely time — the Jets gained a Super Bowl, Lyndon B. Johnson sat within the Oval Office. Man had but to stroll on the moon. The web and glue sticks had but to be invented. Woodstock was nonetheless seven months away.
The Curse of the Hoodie could be very actual. The Jets employed him as head coach after the 1999 season. Belichick resigned by way of a serviette someday later. The rights to Belichick have been “traded” to the Patriots in a deal that included a number of draft picks. It stays the most-lopsided deal in NFL historical past.
Hope you loved your tenth “Butt Fumble Anniversary” dinner Tuesday evening. Not certain why it isn’t a vacation within the Bay State. The Jets stay the largest turkey on the NFL menu even when greater than half the league has a decrease successful share.
Only the Jets may pull off what occurred Sunday in Foxboro. Only the Jets may maintain the Patriots and not using a landing on the street, common 2.77 inches per play within the second half, be tied with lower than a minute to play, and nonetheless lose.
Only the Jets may punt the ball proper down the center of the sector, as a substitute of to the ball boy on the sidelines, in a tie recreation with 26 seconds remaining. Only the Jets may drop 14 straight to the Patriots regardless of New England biking via three beginning QBs.
Only the Jets may go 0-13 after which win two straight, blowing an opportunity to draft Trevor Lawrence within the course of. That led to Gang Green setting for the greenest of QBs in Zach Wilson with the No. 2 total choose within the 2021 draft.
Wilson has gone from comfort prize to desolation case.
The spoiled wealthy child Wilson has been eviscerated since he opted to not share the blame for the Jets 10-3 loss to the Patriots. He’s taken the warmth off Mac Jones, Justin Fields, Trey Lance and Lawrence on the subject of the “Worst QB Taken In The 1st Round Of The 2021 NFL Draft” sweepstakes.
Jets coach Robert Saleh gained’t decide to Wilson as his beginning QB transferring ahead.
That leaves the Dolphins. Whether by mistake or on goal, Belichick fired off the textual content heard around the NFL world to Brian Flores when he allegedly meant to congratulate new Giants coach Brian Daboll.
The Patriots’ likelihood to win the division is greater than mathematical. Even and not using a functioning quarterback, New England has three video games left within the AFC. Two at dwelling. Next Thursday, the Patriots play host to Buffalo. New England visits Orchard Park in Week 17. As famous earlier, they get the Dolphins at dwelling on New Year’s Day.
The schedule contains out of the blue very winnable back-to-back video games at Arizona on Monday, Dec. 12, and in Las Vegas on Sunday, Dec. 18. New England’s hardest non-divisional opponent the remainder of the best way would be the Bengals, who go to Foxboro on Christmas Eve.
With a softer-than-expected AFC, New England is in first rate form by way of its remaining schedule.
It’s not unreasonable to see the Patriots going 5-2 over these closing seven video games. (Sure, 2-5 can also be doable, however roll with us because it’s Thanksgiving week.) That offers them 11 wins (over their preseason complete of 9.5) and a playoff spot if the tiebreakers proceed to go their means.
The Patriots offense?
That’s one other story.
You can solely achieve this a lot with a 22-leg, 2,927-pound turkey.
Bill Speros (@RealOBF) might be reached at [email protected]
Source: www.bostonherald.com