The New England Patriots enter Week 10 three full games behind the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. Their chances of overtaking the Bills can be considered slim and none.
The only hope left for the Patriots now is to qualify for the playoffs as one of three wild-card teams. They currently sit tied with Cleveland (and behind Kansas City and Cincinnati) for the final playoff spot, the No. 7 seed, though they hold a tiebreaker on the Browns thanks to their 5-1 record against conference foes.
The Patriots have had an up and down 2026 season. They started the season with sloppy play, made some progress, but then reverted to their earlier form. They committed four turnovers against the Green Bay Packers and were drubbed, 45-27, at home.
The Patriots are now in Munich getting ready to face a tough, 6-2 Detroit Lions team.
The likelihood of the Patriots losing Sunday's game and returning home as a 5-5 team feels likely. With Buffalo heading to East Rutherford, New Jersey, to take on the Jets this week, there's also a chance that the gap in the AFC East widens.
But the teams currently chasing New England for the final playoff spot — Cleveland (5-4), Las Vegas (4-5), Baltimore (4-5), and Houston (3-5) — are uninspiring enough to offer hope, if New England can get back to its identity of eliminating bad football — and finally get healthy.
Patriots' turnover problems are making their playoff position harder to trust
The Patriots' inconsistent form in 2026 is the reason for their downfall. They've had moments where they look terrific, and they've had games where they can't get out of their own way. The turnovers have been numerous, led by quarterback Drake Maye, who now has 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in nine games. The Patriots' 19 total giveaways rank only behind the winless Chargers in terms of games played.
Maye has seemingly regressed in his third season after having an MVP-worthy 2025. A lot of that can be placed on injuries to his key receivers, A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, who were brought in to be the team's No. 1 and No. 2 receivers.
Doubs has missed the team's past three games with a shoulder injury. Brown has missed the past two with knee and ankle issues. Even when they have been able to play, they haven't been able to make much of an impact.
That's a major problem for Maye, but it's still up to him to overcome any and all deficiencies. Otherwise, the team will wind up on the outside looking in come playoff time.
Patriots' offensive line injuries are exposing costly roster depth concerns
To get back to playing good football, the Patriots are going to have to reduce their turnover numbers dramatically and get many of their injured players back on the field. That includes offensive linemen Alijah Vera-Tucker and Ben Brown, and running back TreVeyon Henderson.
The Patriots' offseason moves are also worth questioning, as they're reaping the results of not adding depth to the roster, especially along the offensive line. Maye has been sacked 20 times. He's also been hurried another 29, hit 27 times, pressured 76 times, and has had to scramble 28 times — the most in the NFL over nine games. Fans continue to question the Patriots' decision to cut Stefon Diggs and trade fellow wideout Kayshon Boutte.
Injuries always take their toll in any NFL season. Unfortunately, after the team opted to stand pat at the trade deadline, it looks like nothing's going to change that situation this season, at least not in a major way.
Expectations for the 2026 Patriots should be diminished accordingly. They're firmly in the playoff hunt, but they don't resemble the team that made a spirited run through the AFC last season.
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