New England Patriots move up ESPN NFL Power Rankings
The New England Patriots moved up in this week’s edition of ESPN’s NFL Power Rankings.
The New England Patriots picked up a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 on Thursday Night Victory. It got them back in the win column after a disappointing loss to the Carolina Panthers at Foxboro in Week 4.
Playing on Thursday Night Football is never an easy task. When you are shorthanded and playing poorly as the Patriots were, it makes it even more difficult. The Patriots were able to overcome the shortcomings and pick up a hard-fought victory over a game Buccaneers squad.
The Patriots did get lucky, as Nick Folk missed three kicks. That turned the tide in New England’s favor, but they will take whatever help they can get. The Patriots were not without their own problems, namely Rob Gronkowski.
Their star tight end missed the game against the Buccaneers with a thigh issue. He injured the thigh on Wednesday, and made the trip to Tampa Bay but did not suit up.
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With Gronkowski sidelined, the Patriots game plan had to be adjusted. It took a little while to get things going, but the Patriots offense eventually picked up in the second quarter. Brady completed 13 consecutive passes at one point.
New England got big-time contributions from Danny Amendola and Chris Hogan. Brady talked highly of Amendola after the game, as he caught all eight of his targets for 77 yards. Hogan once again bailed the Patriots out on multiple occasions, catching eight passes for 74 yards and a touchdown. Brandin Cooks led the way with 85 yards on five receptions.
It wasn’t the prettiest game, as only two other players caught passes in the game. However, the Patriots came away with the victory, which is all that matters at the end. Their defense got enough stops and the offense produced just enough to escape Tampa Bay with a win.
That win also helped the Patriots move up ESPN’s NFL Power Rankings. With the victory, the Patriots have moved up to the No. 5 spot, up two spots from No. 7.
Here is what they had to say about the Patriots moving up the power rankings.
"Even with a below-average defense and two early losses, the Patriots’ offense has been so good that New England has the second-best overall chance of making the playoffs. The Bills and Jets also are 3-2, but the Patriots are still the team to beat in the AFC East."
In this week’s edition, they also added playoff odds. The Patriots currently have a 91.9 percent chance of making the postseason according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. The AFC East has proven to be more challenging this season than predicted, but the Patriots are still the cream of the crop.
Next: 4 Takeaways From Patriots vs Buccaneers Week 5
This week, the Patriots will be facing off with the New York Jets. It is an important game as the Jets have started the season off stronger than expected. Will the Jets pick up a marquee victory, or will the Patriots continue their dominance over the division? We will have to wait and see for Sunday afternoon!