Pats Pulpit
There is a lot of football left to be played before the playoff discussion can be had in earnest, but the New England Patriots’ win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday certainly helps in that regard. Thanks to the team of Mike Vrabel celebrating a 25-19 victory on the road, it has now solidified its standing in the AFC playoff picture.
A look at the current list after the early window of games shows this:
On the bubble: 8. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3), 9. Houston Texans (2-3), 10. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3), 11. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4), 12. Tennessee Titans (1-4), 13. Baltimore Ravens (1-5)
*Not technically eliminated but let’s be real here: *14. Miami Dolphins (1-5), 15. Cleveland Browns (1-5)**, 16. New York Jets (0-6)
The Patriots may be the final team in at the moment, but two things stand out. First, they can actually overtake the Bills on Monday in case their AFC East rivals lose their game at the 2-2 Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football; with New England winning the head-to-head in Buffalo last Sunday night, the tie will go to the Patriots.
In addition, we can see that there is a clear drop-off between the playoff and non-playoff teams. No team outside the playoff picture has a winning record at the moment. And while some clubs are realistic candidates to push for a spot despite their slow start — the 2-3 Chiefs being the prime candidate among them — New England does enjoy an early advantage.
