
Five weeks ago, the Patriots came into Detroit and got zone-blocked virtually all the way to Ann Arbor in a Sunday Night Football loss to the Lions, and with it came the lamentations we’ve seen attached to so many slow September starts.
And seemingly on cue, New England has taken a torch to those prognostications – again – winners of five straight headed into tonight’s SNF battle with Green Bay and the uber-talented Aaron Rodgers.
But while they’re seemingly on their way to sewing up yet another AFC East title – with losses today, Buffalo and the New York Jets are virtually out of it – the Patriots could potentially have a lot to lose tonight with a Packers win.
The Steelers, with a 23-16 win over their archrival Baltimore Ravens this afternoon, are suddenly sitting nice at 5-2-1, with potential to leap-frog New England for the No. 2 seed in the AFC tonight. Kansas City, despite the loss to New England in that epic SNF clash last month, would be up by at least a game for home-field advantage regardless of tonight’s outcome.
Are the Steelers a concern? Are the Patriots truly staring at their first wild-card round appearance since 2009?
Here’s how the AFC playoff race is shaping up headed into tonight’s game:
**1. Kansas City 8-1
*2. New England 6-2
3. Pittsburgh 5-2-1
4. Houston 5-3
5. LA Chargers 6-2
6. Cincinnati 5-3
**Home field advantage
*First-round bye
New England Patriots
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In the Hunt:
Miami 5-4
Baltimore 4-5
Tennessee 3-4
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