How the week 14 games can reshape the entire AFC playoff picture
The Patriots have huge game against Kansas City this weekend, but that’s not the only game to keep your eye on.
The Patriots are now in second place in the AFC after losing to the Texans last week, but there is still hope for them to regain first place. As likely as it is that they retake first place, it can just as easily happen that they fall all the way to fifth place before the season ends. New England hosts Kansas City on Sunday, which is huge opportunity to see how well they match up against a playoff team in the AFC, but there is another game this weekend that could shake up the playoff picture in the AFC. The Buffalo Bills host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday and if the Bills win, the Patriots regain first place.
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The Patriots are obviously more focus on their game against the Chiefs, who gave them their toughest fight of the season last year, but I’m sure everybody will be checking to see if the Bills are able to pull off the impossible and beat the Ravens who seem unstoppable right now. If the Patriots can beat the Chiefs, they would move to 11-2 on the season, and if the Bills can beat the Ravens, the Ravens would drop to 10-3 and the Bills would move to 10-3. If the Patriots lose to the Chiefs, but the Bills beat the Ravens, all three teams would sit at 10-3 and the playoff picture would not change because of the tiebreakers. The Ravens have the tiebreaker over the Patriots, and the Patriots have it over the Bills. The Patriots still have to play the Bills again so that can change as well.
The Patriots pride themselves on playing their best football in December, but it’s going to take more than that for them to take back the first seed. If they do not have the first seed come playoff time, they still have a bye week and a home playoff game before the AFC Championship, assuming Baltimore makes it that far. The Ravens are clearly the team to beat this year, so if the Patriots can get home field advantage, I think that would make a huge difference for them. Despite what ESPN and FOX Sports will tell you, the Patriots have been successful when they have had to go on the road in the playoffs in order to get to the Super Bowl, but the Ravens are a team that feeds off of energy, so when they play at home and the crowd gets into the game, that makes them play looser and faster. Playing at Gillette Stadium will not allow Baltimore to feed off the crowd’s energy.
This week has huge implications on the AFC playoffs, and it has a chance to all work in favor of New England. I think this year, more than any, home field advantage can play a huge role in the AFC championship. This is all assuming that New England and Baltimore make it that far, but anything can happen in playoff football.