All those preseason predictions, bad-quarterback bashing and late-game losing will all come down to two games for the New England Patriots. (No matter what happens, I’ll only be half-right in my pre-2022 prediction, unfortunately).
If New England wins its next two games, they’re into the postseason. Lose even one game, and they’re out. That’s as academic as it gets.
Win out, and they’ll be 9-8 with tiebreakers over the Jets (head-to-head) and the Dolphins (division record) despite bumbling through the end of the season for a second year in a row.
Beating Miami without Tua Tagovailoa might be something that’s more expected than not. But taking out Buffalo on the road in a game the Bills might actually play their starters? That would be a heck of a narrative-changer for a Patriots team that doesn’t really have a signature win in 2022.
On that note: the Patriots really need the Denver Broncos to somehow trip up the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday to help Buffalo lock up the No. 1 seed. The Bills own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Chiefs thanks to an October 16 win, so there would be nothing to play for in the final week if KC loses. Otherwise, the Bills will almost certainly play their starters in an effort to ensure they get that bye and get the rest week. In that scenario, it’s hard to see the Patriots winning.
The Patriots are lucky to find themselves in this situation after everything they’ve done to give their postseason hopes away with two backbreaking losses and one embarrassing blowout defeat to the 3-12 Bears in October.
But even with another backup quarterback on the docket and the chance they’ll face a disinterested Bills team in Week 18, luck can only take them so far now. It’s time to win and prove they deserve the opportunity they’ve been given.