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The Patriots are one of five teams with three wins, but they own the tiebreaker over all of them as a result of having the worst strength of schedule. There are three two-win teams ahead of the Patriots in the draft order — the Jaguars, Raiders and Giants — and the only way for New England to move up in the order (assuming it doesn’t win another game) is for at least one of those three teams to win another game.
So, if the Patriots need help, where might that help come from? Here’s a breakdown of the remaining schedules for the five teams with the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick, per ESPN FPI’s model.
New England Patriots
Week 14: Bye
Week 15: at Arizona Cardinals
Week 16: at Buffalo Bills
Week 17: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 18: vs. Buffalo Bills
The Patriots have the hardest remaining schedule in the league, based on their upcoming opponents having a combined .708 win percentage. The Bills have already clinched the AFC East for a fifth straight season, but their Week 18 matchup in Foxboro could still matter if the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs is at stake. Buffalo trails Kansas City by one game in the race for the top seed.
The Cardinals are a formidable team with a dual-threat quarterback in Kyle Murray. The Patriots have struggled against those kinds of QBs in recent years. The Chargers have been one of the most improved teams in the league during Jim Harbaugh’s first season as head coach.
Maybe the Patriots could beat the Chargers or Cardinals if they play penalty- and turnover-free football, although that seems unlikely based on how many self-inflicted mistakes New England has made in recent games.
It’s probably fair to assume the Patriots won’t win another game, which would clinch back-to-back seasons of four or fewer wins. That hasn’t happened to the Patriots since a four-year span from 1967 through 1970.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 14: at Tennessee Titans
Week 15: vs. New York Jets
Week 16: at Las Vegas Raiders
Week 17: vs. Tennessee Titans
Week 18: at…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/state-no-1-pick-race-212914549.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-12-03 21:29:00
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