New England Patriots: Predicting every NFL game and their path to the Super Bowl

HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 05: Tom Brady
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 05: Tom Brady /
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FOXBORO, MA – DECEMBER 24: Alan Branch
FOXBORO, MA – DECEMBER 24: Alan Branch /

Week 17

(11-4) Chiefs @ (10-5) Broncos

(12-3) Raiders @ (2-13) Chargers

(6-9) Texans @ (4-11) Colts

(8-7) Bills @ (3-12) Dolphins

(1-14) Jets @ (15-0) Patriots

(9-6) Bengals @ (10-5) Ravens

(4-11) Browns @ (11-4) Steelers

(2-13) Jaguars @ (10-5) Titans

(5-10) Saints @ (11-4) Buccaneers

(10-5) Cowboys @ (5-10) Eagles

(6-9) Panthers @ (11-4) Falcons

(7-8) Redskins @ (10-5) Giants

(12-3) Packers @ (7-8) Lions

(5-10) 49ers @ (3-12) Rams

(10-5) Cardinals @ (9-6) Seahawks

(5-10) Bears @ (6-10) Vikings

Week 17 Analysis

The quest for a 16-0 season once again ends with a team from New York, but this time it’s the Jets and New England gets to play at home in Gillette Stadium. Imagine how loud that stadium will be as the Patriots again go for a perfect season! They’ll get it, but we all know that only a Super Bowl title matters. So, the Patriots will shift their focus in their bye week to whoever their next opponent will be.

Denver, fighting for a spot in the playoffs, defeats the Chiefs at home, but they’ll still need help to get in. The Ravens are still in play for the AFC North title, but with the Steelers win over the Browns they lock it up. Tampa Bay and Atlanta both win and have identical records, but the tie breaker goes to the Buccaneers and we have a new NFC South champion. Similarly, in the NFC East both the Cowboys and Giants finish at 11-5. New York wins the tie breaker and the division, but both get into the playoffs.

Playoff Seeding

AFC

  1. New England Patriots (16-0)
  2. Oakland Raiders (13-3)
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
  4. Tennessee Titans (11-5)
  5. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5)
  6. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

NFC

Green Bay Packers (13-3)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4)

New York Giants (11-5)

Arizona Cardinals (10-6)

Atlanta Falcons (12-4)

Dallas Cowboys (11-5)