The New England Patriots could be playoff bound as early as Sunday night.
The Patriots will be in Houston for a Week 13 "Sunday Night Football" matchup to take on the Texans at NRG Stadium. The outcome will have a huge impact on the AFC playoff race since both teams lead their respective divisions.
There are five scenarios in which the Patriots clinch at least a wild card playoff berth Sunday, according to the NFL. Here is a breakdown of those scenarios.
The Patriots clinch a postseason berth with:
- New England win, plus Oakland Raiders loss or tie
- New England win, plus Pittsburgh Steelers loss or tie
- New England tie, plus Oakland Raiders loss and Pittsburgh Steelers loss
- New England tie, plus Oakland Raiders loss and Indianapolis Colts loss
- New England tie, plus Pittsburgh Steelers loss and Indianapolis Colts loss
So, any kind of loss to the Texans would force the Patriots to wait at least another week before securing a playoff berth. The Patriots have missed the playoffs only once (2008, when Tom Brady was injured) since the beginning of the 2001 season.
The AFC East race is still ongoing with the Buffalo Bills (8-3) just two games behind the Patriots (10-1) for the division lead. New England, however, remains a heavy favorite to win its 11th consecutive division title, but it might be several weeks before the defending Super Bowl champs mathematically clinch that scenario.
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