The Patriots’ bye came at the perfect time, smack in the middle of the season. The Patriots currently sit at 5-4, last in the AFC East, and have eight games remaining. The AFC East is currently the toughest division in football, and the Patriots have an uphill climb to make the playoffs, but there are paths available. In this run-down, I analyze and rank each game going forward, with the most crucial games coming first. New England has four division games, including two to end the season.
Bills – Weeks 13 and 18
The most important game for New England comes on Thursday night in Week 10 as they face off with the Buffalo Bills in upstate New York. The Bills are projected to win the AFC East and are expected to compete with Kansas City as the best team in the AFC. Last season the Patriots split with Buffalo; one of the games involved quarterback Mac Jones only throwing three passes. In one of the more bizarre weather games in the Super Bowl era, New England defeated Buffalo 14-9 at Orchard Park. Bill Belichick mastered the perfect game plan, running the ball 46 times. However, in their rematch three weeks later, Buffalo beat New England 33-21 in Foxborough. With some saying New England regressed this season, the Patriots will have a tough time beating Josh Allen. Both the Patriots and Bills play on Thanksgiving Thursday, with their matchup coming the following Thursday. Division games are always important, but this game will be crucial for New England to have a chance at the playoffs. Be on the lookout for the Patriots’ red throwback uniforms, which will return on Thursday night.
The Patriots and Bills will face off again in Week 18 for the last regular season game. The Patriots have missed the playoffs once since 2008 but are not off to the best start in 2022 and could be in danger of not being in the playoffs this season.
Jets – Week 11
After New England’s bye week, they will host the well-rested Jets at Gillette for the series finale between the two rivals. In Week 8, the Patriots went to MetLife and beat the Jets as 1.5-point underdogs. New England extended their streak to 13-straight wins against the Jets dating back to 2013. Coming into the game, the expectation was New York would snap their streak as the Patriots were coming off an embarrassing loss to the two-win Chicago Bears. New England’s defense carried them, as Zach Wilson threw interceptions to the Patriots on three separate occasions. Veteran Devin McCourtey tallied up two interceptions, moving himself to first place among all active players with 36 interceptions. However, Zach Wilson and the Jets narrowly beat the Buffalo Bills last Sunday in a huge boost to the team. The Jets are in second place in the AFC East with six wins. It would be very beneficial for New England to kick off the second half of the season with a home win against the Jets.
Dolphins – Week 17
The Patriots will seek revenge after losing to the Dolphins to open their season. New England has a notoriously bad record late in the year against Miami, but this time the rematch will be at Gillette. The Dolphins are in third place in the AFC East and hold a 6-3 record. The two Alabama quarterbacks, Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa, will square off again with playoffs on the line. Most analysts predict this game could send one team to the playoffs and one out of contention. New England will need to be on their A-game when they play Miami.
Bengals – Week 16
The Patriots and Bengals are riding a similar boat so far this season. Both teams are 5-4 and have had their ups and downs. The Patriots will face off on Christmas Eve with Joe Burrow and the Bengals. The Bengals’ offensive line is a complete mess; however, the offense is still capable of doing damage. Cincinnati is averaging 25.3 points a game, the fifth most in the league, and Joe Burrow is third in the NFL in passing yards (2385) and third in passing touchdowns 18. Even with star receiver Ja’Marr Chase out, the Bengals stomped over the Panthers 42-21 in Week 9. Without Chase, the Bengals top receiver is Tee Higgins, although Chase is expected back in Week 16. This game could have serious implications on the wild card standings because both teams are unlikely to win their division, which means their path to the playoffs goes through the wild card.
Raiders – Week 15
The Patriots will clash with the Raiders on Sunday Night Football and reunite with former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Las Vegas isn’t off to a great start at 2-5; however, they are15th in scoring (22.9 points per game). Led by quarterback Derek Carr, the Raiders have had trouble closing games. Carr has thrown for 1,880 passing yards, 17th in the NFL, and has tossed seven touchdowns against five interceptions. The Raiders traded for All-Pro Davante Adams in the offseason, who is eighth in the NFL in receiving yards. Unfortunately, the Raiders put TE Darren Waller and WR Hunter Renfrow on injured reserve Thursday afternoon. However, both are expected to return ahead of the Patriots matchup in Week 16. For New England, this will end up being a must-win game. However, the Raiders should turn it around this season, and New England should expect a competitive Raiders team who beat them in the preseason.
Vikings – Week 12
Thanksgiving football is coming back to New England.. well, sorta. The Patriots and Vikings kick off on Thanksgiving Day at 8:30 p.m in Minneapolis. Although the Vikings and Patriots don’t have a historic rivalry, it should still be an exciting game. The two teams have played against each other 13 times, with the Patriots winning nine. New England holds a five-game win streak against the Vikings dating back to 2000. The Vikings are currently 7-1 and are averaging 24.1 points a game, 8th in the NFL. Kirk Cousins has led the Vikings to the best start since 2009.
Cardinals – Week 14
The Patriots face the struggling Arizona Cardinals on their West Coast trip before heading to Las Vegas. Arizona ranks16th in the NFL, scoring 22.6 points a game, and Kyler Murray is seventh with 2,168 passing yards. The Patriots’ defense should have no problem against a struggling Arizona offense. However, the Patriots need to pick up a win in Arizona to improve their chances at a playoff run.
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My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
