The New England Patriots could kill the inevitable drama if they beat the Buffalo Bills in the Week 15 rematch on Sunday. A win would guarantee them a spot in the playoffs and their first AFC East divisional title since 2019.
So basically, win on Sunday, and everything is simple.
Advertisement
That’s obviously easier said than done when facing a Buffalo Bills team led by the reigning NFL MVP, quarterback Josh Allen. Sure, the Patriots have already beaten the Bills once this season on the road, and that should provide a major boost in their confidence at home in the rematch.
But beating the same team twice, especially a team as tough as the Bills, is hard to do in the same season. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Patriots’ 10-game winning streak snapped, which would ultimately ruin their shot at clinching the division in Week 15.
However, they could still clinch a spot in the playoffs even with a loss. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport shared several playoff-clinching scenarios for the Patriots ahead of their showdown with the Bills.
The Patriots could clinch a spot in the playoffs if one of the following happens: they tie and the Los Angeles Chargers lose, they tie and the Houston Texans lose or tie, they tie and the Indianapolis Colts lose or tie, they tie and the Jacksonville Jaguars lose or Texans lose or tie and Colts lose or tie.
Advertisement
The last scenario wouldn’t work if both the Texans and Colts tie.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel hasn’t shied away from the importance of the rematch against the Bills. The Patriots know what’s at stake on Sunday.
“We’re just trying to play for the championship that’s available to us this week,” Vrabel told media members.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Multiple Week 15 playoff clinching scenarios revealed for Patriots