Sunday is a classic December hat-and-t-shirt game at Gillette Stadium!
After a one-year hiatus from the postseason, the Patriots can clinch the AFC East title with a win over the Bills combined with a Miami loss or tie.
Almost regardless of what happens this Christmas weekend, Bill Belichick’s rebuilt team is likely headed toward the playoffs. But how well-suited is the squad for the postseason? Is New England capable of winning a playoff game or maybe even going on a deep run this January? Those questions will be answered in the coming weeks.
But whether it’s Sunday afternoon’s action against Josh Allen and the Bills or in the coming weeks of work, it’s become clear who the most critical contributors are in New England this season.
So let’s take a look at the Patriots who have established themselves part of the foundation of New England’s success this fall, the guys who’ll have to continue to get the job done as December turns to January and the regular season leads into the win-or-go-home playoffs.
1-Mac Jones: The rookie quarterback has been impressive in his work on and off the game field since the day he arrived in New England. But the going won’t get any easier for the No. 15 overall pick. No rookie has ever led his team to the Super Bowl, never mind won it. For the Patriots to find playoff success Jones is going to have to prove he’s up to the tough task. He won’t be asked to carry the team on his young shoulders, but Jones must prove he’s not “overwhelmed” with is role on or off the field in the next month-plus.
2-Bill Belichick: That Belichick isn’t No. 1 on this list tells you just how much pressure is on the young Jones. But it’s the QB’s head coach who’ll be guiding the Patriots postseason sleigh into a possible winter wonderland. New England doesn’t have much margin for error. So there can’t be game-losing plays in the kicking game, penalties and poor coaching decisions.
That all falls on Belichick. He’s the best in the business and is in the midst of one of his best seasons as a franchise leader. Now, he must finish the tough job in GOAT fashion.
3-J.C. Jackson: Fresh off his first Pro Bowl selection, Jackson holds together the back end of an undermanned Patriots pass defense.
Some thought New England would struggle in coverage with Jonathan Jones on IR and Stephon Gilmore traded to Carolina. That hasn’t really come to fruition too often. Jalen Mills has been good enough. Zone schemes have been productive. But most importantly, Jackson has been the true No. 1 cornerback that any successful team, certainly any successfully Belichick-coached team, probably needs. It would be hard to imagine what the pass defense would be without Jackson. It almost certainly wouldn’t be pretty or successful.
4-Offensive line: OK, this isn’t one person. But it’s an incredibly important group. When the Patriots have won this season the offensive line has almost always been part of the formula for success. When New England losses, the line is generally not as productive or efficient in either pass protection or run blocking. Early in the year with Trent Brown sidelined there wasn’t enough consistency. While the group theoretically has six starting-caliber players for five jobs, it feels like all are very much needed at this point.
And any disruptions to the line could derail the offense down the stretch.
5-Matt Judon: Another one of the Patriots Pro Bowl selections, Judon has more than returned the hefty investment New England made in him as a free agent this past offseason. He’s been a force in the pass rush.
He’s been a revelation bringing notably unique energy and work ethic off the field. Judon seems to come up with key big plays early in games more often than not. His edge playmaking could be a huge factor in postseason matchups against some of the dangerous offenses New England could face in the AFC come January.
Others worthy of consideration: Hunter Henry, Christian Barmore, Damien Harris/Rhamondre Stevenson, Josh McDaniels, Nick Folk, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers.
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