If the season ended today, where do the Patriots stand in the AFC playoff picture?
Through nine weeks, the New England Patriots are sitting at 5-4 with a legitimate shot at breaking into the playoffs.
Of course, they’ll have to find a way to stay alive in the shark tank AFC East, which went from being the laughingstock to the best division in football. Even with a winning record, the Patriots are still ranked dead last in a division that could potentially send all four teams to the playoffs this season.
The Buffalo Bills reign supreme in the AFC, despite being tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the best record in the conference (6-2). However, they’d own the tiebreaker thanks to their mid-October win at Arrowhead Stadium.
And the same goes for the New York Jets (6-3) when it comes to their tiebreaker with the Miami Dolphins (6-3). They’d own the split, thanks to their 40-17 blowout victory back in October.
As for the Patriots, they’d be considered an on-the-bubble team that would barely miss the postseason. Granted, they’re still in the thick of things, but they’re obviously going to have to string together some tough wins in the second half of the season to clinch a playoff berth.
If the season ended today, here’s what the playoff picture would look like for the top-10 AFC teams.
1. Buffalo Bills (6-2)
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
2. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
3. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)
Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
4. Tennessee Titans (5-3)
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
5. New York Jets (6-3)
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
6. Miami Dolphins (6-3)
Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
7. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
8. New England Patriots (5-4)
Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
9. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
10. Indianapolis Colts (3-5-1)
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
[listicle id=130632]
