NFL Playoff Picture: Where Patriots stand in ultra-competitive AFC East originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots are on a bye in Week 10 of the NFL season, and yet their chances of winning the AFC East actually improved.
That's because the Buffalo Bills lost 33-30 in overtime to the Minnesota Vikings in the most exciting game of the year so far. The Vikings overcame a 27-10 deficit on the road to improve to 8-1.
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The Miami Dolphins, who beat the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, took over first place in the division as a result of Buffalo's loss. It's a very small lead atop the standings for the Dolphins, though.
Here's how the AFC East looks after this week. It's the only division in which all four teams are above the .500 mark.
- Miami Dolphins, 7-3
- New York Jets, 6-3
- Buffalo Bills, 6-3
- New England Patriots, 5-4
The Patriots have four more divisional matchups remaining on the schedule -- two versus the Bills and one each against the Jets and Dolphins. The Pats will jump over the Jets in the standings and earn the head-to-head tiebreaker if they defeat New York at Gillette Stadium next Sunday.
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In the final game of the week that impacted the AFC playoff picture, New England got some help from former quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday Night Football as the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 22-16.
The loss dropped the Chargers to 5-4 and into a tie for the seventh and final playoff spot with the Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals. And it's the Pats who currently own that three-way tiebreaker, meaning they'll return from the bye week in a playoff position.
Here's what the Patriots' schedule looks like the rest of the regular season:
- Week 11: vs. New York Jets
- Week 12: at Minnesota Vikings (Thanksgiving Thursday)
- Week 13: vs. Buffalo Bills (Thursday)
- Week 14: at Arizona Cardinals (Monday)
- Week 15: at Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday night)
- Week 16: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Saturday)
- Week 17: vs. Miami Dolphins
- Week 18: at Buffalo Bills
Here's the updated AFC playoff picture after the Week 10 games.
In a Playoff Spot
1. Kansas City Chiefs, 7-2 (AFC West leader)
2. Miami Dolphins, 7-3 (AFC East leader)
3. Tennessee Titans, 6-3 (AFC South leader)
4. Baltimore Ravens, 6-3 (AFC North leader)
5. New York Jets, 6-3 (First Wild Card)
6. Buffalo Bills, 6-3 (Second Wild Card)
7. New England Patriots, 5-4 (Third Wild Card)
On the Bubble
8. Los Angeles Chargers, 5-4
9. Cincinnati Bengals, 5-4
10. Indianapolis Colts, 4-5-1
