Patriots in Playoff Hunt Thanks to Week 10 AFC Losses

If the 2022 playoffs began today, New England would be a Wild Card.

FOXBORO — As Michael Corleone would say; “Just when you thought the New England Patriots were out, they pull you back in.”

The Patriots have certainly experienced their share of ebb and flow through their first nine games of 2022. After a dismal 1-3 start, New England has climbed back to respectability by winning four of their last five games. At 5-4, the Patriots chances of earning a spot in the postseason are beginning to seem more than reasonable.

Despite enjoying a much-needed bye during what was a wild Week 10 in the NFL, they still managed to improve their place in the standings for the 2022 playoffs.

In fact, New England currently occupies the seventh overall position in the AFC, thanks to the Los Angeles Chargers’ 22-16 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

If the season ended today, the Patriots would be seeded in the third wild card spot, holding the tiebreakers over the Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals, based on best win percentage in conference games.

Here are the AFC playoff standings through Week 10:

1. Kansas City Chiefs (7-2; AFC West)*

2. Miami Dolphins (7-3; AFC East)*

3. Tennessee Titans (6-3; AFC South)*

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-3; AFC North)*

5. New York Jets (6-3; AFC East — first wild card)

6. Buffalo Bills (6-3; AFC East second — wild card)

7. New England Patriots (5-4; AFC East — third wild card)

*indicates Division leader

For a division that is only a few short years removed from being derisively referred to as the “AFC Least,” the Bills, Jets, Dolphins and Patriots currently occupy a postseason spot. The AFC East is now the most competitive division in football, with all four of its teams yielding a record above .500.

In addition to competing for a playoff spot, New England also finds itself with a chance to contend for the division title. At present they trail the second-place Jets and third-place Bills (with whom the Pats have two remaining games) by just one game, while sitting just 1.5 games behind the Dolphins atop the division. It should be noted that Miami currently holds the tiebreaker due to its head-to-head victory over the Pats in Week 1. New England has the chance to avenge that loss in Week 17 when they welcome the Dolphins to Gillette Stadium on Jan. 1.

The Pats push for the postseason begins in earnest this week, as they welcome the Jets to Gillette Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 20 for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff. 

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Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots

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