Even with the addition of Mike Vrabel this offseason, the flashes from Drake Maye at the end of his rookie season a year ago, and a last-place schedule, not many saw the New England Patriots being a near lock for the NFL Playoffs. Yet, heading into their Week 15 matchup with the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots weren't just hopeful to clinch a postseason berth, but are all but assured a spot in the postseason. The question has simply been how quickly they can clinch based on the scenarios at play.
Lucky for them, a matchup within the division against the Bills provided a lot of opportunity for the Patriots on Sunday. They not only had an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth, but also a chance to win the AFC East in Week 15 already. Here's what New England would need in order for that to transpire.
How the Patriots can clinch the AFC East in Week 15 vs. Buffalo
Scenarios
- Win and clinch
As mentioned, clinching the division title is on the table for New England this weekend, which stands to reason given that they face their AFC East rivals, the Bills, on Sunday in Foxborough. Given that it's only Week 15 and there are still four games remaining in the regular season, you might be thinking that the Patriots obviously need to win and then would need some help in order to take the division crown. That's not the case, however.
Instead, the Patriots are in a proverbial win-and-in scenario when it comes to clinching the AFC East. A win over the Bills would give New England the tiebreaker over Buffalo by sweeping the season series, which would then mean that there's no mathematical way for Josh Allen and Company to catch New England this season.
Considering that the Bills have dominated with five straight AFC East titles in recent years, this would be a massive step for Vrabel, Maye and the Patriots. And to only be at this point in the season and just need a win to do so speaks to how dominant New England has been this season amid their rapid ascension to contender status.
How the Patriots clinch a playoff berth in Week 15
Scenarios
- Win, OR
- Tie + Chargers loss to KC, OR
- Tie + Jaguars loss to NYJ, OR
- Tie + Texans loss or tie vs. ARZ, OR
- Tie + Colts loss or tie vs. SEA, OR
- Texans loss + Colts loss or tie, OR
- Texans tie + Colts loss
Obviously, winning against Buffalo and clinching the AFC East title this season would, in turn, assure that the Patriots are also going to the playoffs. Having said that, there are six other scenarios in which New England doesn't win that could give them a postseason berth.
Though a tie is unlikely, it would open four doors for the Patriots to get into the postseason should that come to fruition. If New England and Buffalo end 60 minutes and then overtime in a gridlock, the Pats could still clinch a postseason berth with a loss by the Chargers, Jaguars, Texans or Colts, and the latter two could also tie in that scenario in order to get the Pats into a playoff spot.
In the event of a loss, while New England won't be able to clinch the division considering their opponent is an AFC East rival, they could still get into the playoffs. They would need either a loss by both the Texans and Colts, a Houston loss and Colts tie, or a Texans tie and a Colts loss. But obviously, a loss by both teams would be the most likely path in that scenario.
What this all says, though, is that the Patriots are a near playoff lock. Going into Week 15 with four games still left to play, they are already looking at an abundance of clinching scenarios — and those scenarios are only going to grow in number if they don't clinch on Sunday.