Even a loss won’t block every playoff path
The Patriots can clinch a playoff berth with a win Sunday in Buffalo, but a loss may not automatically end their season.
If the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans for the AFC South title on Saturday night, the Patriots will take the field with a chance to secure the AFC’s final wild card with a loss, provided Miami also loses to the Jets and Pittsburgh loses to Cleveland.
Patriots-Bills, Dolphins-Jets, and Steelers-Browns are all scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday. The NFL did not announce the timing of Sunday’s games until Monday afternoon in an attempt to ensure competitive balance.
“We’re just going to control what we can control,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Monday morning. “It’s a one-game season for us.
“That’s the way we looked at last week, and that’s the way we’ll look at this week and for each continuing week. Every week that we continue to play will be a one-week season. So, pour everything we have into this one.”
While there are only two playoff spots up for grabs in the AFC, the seeding is still in flux.
Monday night’s Bills-Bengals game was to provide more clarity, but was postponed after the injury to the Bills’
Damar Hamlin.
Three teams (Kansas City, Buffalo, and Cincinnati) are still in contention for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, which comes with a bye week and home-field advantage.
But Belichick wasn’t thinking about those possibilities.
“[The Bills are] either going to be the No. 1 seed or maybe the No. 2 seed,” Belichick said. “I don’t know whatever the seedings are, but they’re pretty high. They’re a really good football team. They’re well-coached. They beat us three straight times. We have a ton of respect for them. We’re going to have to play our best game. That’s what we’re going to get ready for.”
The only seeds locked in headed into Week 18 are in the NFC: The Buccaneers, who clinched their second straight division title, are No. 4, and the Giants are No. 6.
Big addition
Since returning off injured reserve in Week 15, defensive tackle Christian Barmore has certainly made a difference within New England’s front seven.
“I thought Christian was active and caused some problems inside,” Belichick said.
“It’s good to have him as part of that interior defensive line rotation. We have a lot of good players in there, and they’re all a little bit different. I think that’s always a problem for the offensive line.”
Against Miami on Sunday, Barmore led the Patriots with seven quarterback pressures. He also registered a sack, 3 quarterback hits, 3 hurries, and 3 tackles, including one for a loss.
Over the past three games, Barmore has been on the field for 42.7 percent of the defense’s snaps —a slightly lower percentage than prior to suffering his knee injury in Week 6.
Belichick noted the importance of being able to mix up personnel, with
Matthew Judon, Josh Uche, Deatrich Wise Jr., Lawrence Guy, and Davon Godchaux.
With Barmore available, the Patriots can create even more matchups, placing additional pressure on the opposing offense to recognize the specific strengths of each individual linemen.
“When you see the player line up in the same spot multiple times, but it’s a different player with a different skill set, you really have to make sure that you know who you’re blocking and what you have to take away from certain players or what their strengths are compared to the guy who might’ve been in there the play before or might’ve blocked previously,” Belichick said. “Those are some of the problems that you create by doing that.”
Upon further review . . .
On Miami’s third play of its opening drive, Miami running back Raheem Mostert appeared to fumble after a 2yard gain. The Patriots came up with the ball, but officials ruled Mostert’s forward progress was stopped prior to it coming loose, so the Dolphins maintained possession.
Former NFL referee Gene Steratore noted during the game that progress was ruled too quickly, adding that the play should have been reviewed because “the ball came loose following immediate contact and there was a clear recovery.” That immediate contact is apparently a rule clarification for this season, as reported by Pro Football
Talk, that should have made the play eligible for review.
Belichick, however, said Monday when he went to challenge the call, officials told him he couldn’t.
“Forward progress isn’t reviewable,” he said.