New England Patriots
The Patriots nonetheless management their very own future within the AFC East, however their street to get the AFC’s No. 1 seed is slender.
The Patriots will get a second attempt at securing a playoff spot in Week 16.
There are a number of other ways the Patriots can clinch their first playoff berth in 4 years this weekend. A win over the Ravens can be the best approach to do it, however they may get into the postseason if the Colts lose to the 49ers on Monday or if the Texans lose to the Raiders on Sunday.
At 11-3, the Patriots nonetheless stay forward of the 10-4 Payments within the AFC East even after final week’s loss. They’re additionally nonetheless within the hunt for the AFC’s No. 1 general seed, however their odds to take which are a lot slimmer than they had been at the moment final week.
So, let’s check out how the Patriots’ odds to seize the AFC East and AFC’s No. 1 general seed can enhance in Week 16.
How Patriots’ odds to win AFC East can enhance in Week 16.
The Patriots can’t clinch the AFC East on Sunday, however they will make their path to doing so loads simpler coming into the ultimate two weeks of the season.
A win over the Ravens and a Payments loss to the Browns would imply that the Patriots would solely have to win simply considered one of their ultimate two video games to win the division. They might additionally win the division if the Payments lose considered one of their ultimate two video games on this state of affairs.
However, with the Payments sitting as 10.5-point favorites on the street in opposition to the Browns, that state of affairs appears unlikely. So, what occurs if the Patriots and Payments win on Sunday? The Patriots’ odds to win the AFC East would enhance from 77 % to 81 %, per The Athletic’s Playoff Simulator.
If the Payments win and the Patriots lose on Sunday, the Patriots’ odds to win the division drop to 65 %, per The Athletic’s Playoff Simulator.
Within the occasion that the Payments win on Sunday, there are 3 ways for the Patriots to win the AFC East over the ultimate two video games. The Patriots would clinch the division title in the event that they both win out, the Payments lose out, or in the event that they cut up their ultimate two video games and the Payments lose to the Dolphins in Week 18.
How Patriots’ odds to get AFC’s No. 1 seed can enhance in Week 16
The Patriots’ odds to get the AFC’s No. 1 seed took a major hit in Week 15 because of their loss to the Payments and the Broncos’ win over the Packers. Not solely do the Broncos (12-2) have a greater document than the Patriots, however in addition they maintain the tiebreaker over the Patriots, too. So, a Broncos win over the Jaguars and a Patriots loss to the Ravens on Sunday would knock New England out of competition from getting the No. 1 seed.
But when the Patriots beat the Ravens and the Jaguars take down the Broncos, New England’s odds to get the AFC’s No. 1 seed bounce from 11 % to 40 %, per The Athletic’s Playoff Simulator. In that state of affairs, the Patriots would wish to win out and for the Broncos to lose another sport so as to get the AFC’s prime seed.
Within the occasion that the Jaguars beat the Broncos and the Patriots lose to the Ravens, New England’s odds to get the AFC’s No. 1 seed drop from 11 % to a few %, per The Athletic’s Playoff Simulator. The Jaguars would leapfrog the Patriots within the AFC standings in that state of affairs. So, New England would wish to win out, Denver to lose out, and Jacksonville to lose not less than one sport to get the No. 1 seed over the ultimate two video games of the season if that passed off on Sunday.
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