New England Patriots: What to root for in Week 17

5. The winner of IND/TEN enters the postseason as either a Wild Card or as the AFC South champion.

The crazy, wonderful, maddening thing about the NFL playoff system is that there’s absolutely zero room for error in January and February. Win or go home… it’s as simple as that. And for a league defined by the motto “any given Sunday,” it’s appropriate that nothing – and nobody – is taken for granted in the postseason.

Sure, the Patriots stomped the Colts at home earlier this season, 38-24, in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score might suggest. And yes, they also got drilled by the Titans on the road, 34-10, in a game that was exactly as one-sided as that final score suggests.

Neither result will matter much in January, as all three teams look vastly different today than they did back then. The Patriots’ win over Indianapolis doesn’t guarantee a second victory at Gillette Stadium, just as their beatdown in Nashville doesn’t spell certain defeat in a would-be rematch.

So why should Pats fans cheer for Indy? Quite simply, it’s a better matchup.

The Colts have been playing impressive football of late, going 8-1 over their past nine games after starting the year 1-5. Andrew Luck’s offensive line – long viewed as the team’s Achilles heel – is finally respectable, providing him the time he needs to stay upright and make good decisions with the football. The defense has also vastly improved from last season’s low-water mark.

They are still an easier out in Foxborough than the Titans, though.

Luck might be a superior quarterback to Marcus Mariota, but Tennessee as a team is uniquely suited to beat New England. They have the No. 2 scoring defense and the No. 5 rushing offense in the NFL; that’s a recipe for success should they face the Pats again this year, as they’d need only to lean on Derrick Henry, Dion Lewis, and their ground game to control the clock and keep the ball away from Tom Brady.