'Winning': Wild Week of Upsets Keeps New England Patriots' High 2024 NFL Draft Pick

Despite their win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New England Patriots got lots of help from surprising upsets around the NFL to maintain their lofty pick in next year's NFL Draft.

In a woeful season, the New England Patriots just enjoyed a "winning" week. You know it's a weird Pats year when they are eliminated from the playoffs in early December and there are glaring silver linings.

Not only did they break their five-game losing streak with a surprising victory in Pittsburgh last Thursday, they were able to maintain their lofty position in next year's NFL Draft thanks to upset wins by other teams with losing records at the bottom of the standings.

With four games remaining, the 3-10 Pats still own the No. 2 overall pick.

While the 1-12 Panthers (Bears) appear to have the No. 1 pick locked up, the "race" for No. 2 is seemingly between the Pats and Cardinals after a wild Week 14. Four teams behind New England - the Bears, Jets, Giants and Titans - all produced upset wins over playoff-bound opponents to improve to 5-8. The results vaulted 4-9 Washington into the No. 4 pick.

The Patriots received lots of help from upsets around the NFL to retain their lofty pick in next year's NFL Draft

Sure, anything can happen in the NFL - reinforced by Monday night's improbable rally from 14 points down in the final three minutes by Tennessee in Miami - but it's difficult to envision the Pats and stand-in quarterback Bailey Zappe winning two of their final four against the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, surging Broncos, equally surging Bills and scrappy Jets in the season finale Jan. 7.

Despite the win over the Steelers that temporarily stopped the massive hemorrhaging, there's no rosy outlook for a team with nothing to play for and with an offense that couldn't consistently score on the University of Phoenix. For most of the year, the Pats have turned football into futbol, with soccer-score point totals of zero (twice), three and six. Against Pittsburgh they didn't manage a drive longer than 20 yards in the second half, and through 13 games they haven't had a 100-yard rusher or receiver.

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With former franchise quarterback Mac Jones demoted and top prospects Caleb Williams and Drake Maye skipping bowl games and declaring for the draft, the stakes are high this last month.

Thanks to some recent results, they Pats are in position to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

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