The Patriots might have been eliminated from playoff contention and have nothing to play for over the last two games, but there is some motivation to close out the season on a high note: the future of the coaching staff and, most importantly, Jerod Mayo.
The rumors surrounding what Robert Kraft will inevitably decide regarding Mayo's stance as the team's head coach have been a massive story over the past several weeks, with the last three games of the season being treated as the most crucial heading into the offseason.
Because of that, adding a few wins to an otherwise disappointing season could help his chances of remaining in that role next year, which might be a bit easier after the Chiefs Week 17 win over the Texans.
The Chiefs' win on Christmas could lead to an easier Week 18 game for the Patriots
The Patriots' last two games of the year will be played in Gillette Stadium, which is certainly a plus for them, but their opponents will be far from easy. The Chargers are the first team to come to town on Saturday and hope to make the playoffs, which will become the ultimate motivation to leave Foxboro with a win.
Based on how the Patriots fared against the Bills last week, their chances look much better to sneak out a win this week and will fulfill their potential to play disruptor to end the year. But there's another chance they could add a win before this season is over in Week 18.
Because the Bills are no longer competing for the number one seed in the AFC playoffs, they can lock up the second seed this weekend with a win over the Jets. That means when they play the Patriots next weekend, they could decide to rest their starters, creating a significant opportunity for the home team to beat Buffalo.
With Chiefs securing AFC’s No. 1 seed, will be curious to see how that possibly affects Buffalo’s plans with top personnel in the Patriots-Bills finale.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) December 25, 2024
One scenario: Bills rest/limit Josh Allen and Co., potentially increasing Patriots’ chances to win, which affects draft slot.
While that would be a big deal for the Bills to make that decision and could swing things in the Patriots' favor, they might not need the added help after watching how well they played against them in the enemy territory last week.
Drake Maye outplayed MVP frontrunner Josh Allen, and the defense played its best game of the season. It's fair to assume they can replicate that to end 2024, even if it goes against their best interests regarding the upcoming NFL Draft.
Prioritizing where they will land in the first-round draft order might have become the focus of the team to end the year, whether they admit it or not, as it has for the fans. But with jobs on the line and a rookie quarterback with all the desire to win, there's more reason to sacrifice falling in the draft order by winning than playing for a top-3 pick.
While it's nearly impossible to believe any team would actively tank for that reason, despite what many have already said about the Patriots, it might not be wise to rule it out completely for a team in the Patriots' position. That could impact their motivation for the final two games of the year and could dramatically turn their offseason around before it even begins.