With four games left in the regular season, the New England Patriots have found themselves in a position that very few people expected back in the offseason.
The Patriots sit at 11-2, currently holding the AFC’s No. 1 seed, with the Denver Broncos close behind. The remaining four games feature a mix of playoff-caliber teams, which will be a test of how far this team has come.
The Buffalo Bills
After their bye week, the Patriots will take on the Buffalo Bills. In October, the Patriots defeated the Bills in Buffalo 23-20. This could be considered New England’s first test of the season, and they passed rather convincingly. New England has played well enough this season to have a two-game cushion for the division lead.
This time, the game takes place at Gillette Stadium, and the Bills will be hungry for revenge. The Bills are coming off a rough patch, dropping two of their last four games. Buffalo has won the previous five AFC East division titles, following New England’s 11 titles before that. It is safe to say that these two teams have dominated the division.
This game will be a test to see if New England can all but clinch the division title for the first time since 2019, and get one step closer to getting the conference’s No. 1 seed.
The Baltimore Ravens
The Sunday before Christmas, the Patriots will travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. This could be their toughest matchup left on the schedule.
The Ravens currently sit at 6-6 on the year, which doesn’t look outstanding on paper. However, this team has been riddled with injuries, including but not limited to the 2x NFL MVP, Lamar Jackson, who missed about a month with a hamstring injury.
With Jackson back playing and getting healthier every day, the Ravens are tied with the Steelers for the AFC North and have won five of their last six games. This game for the Patriots will be in a hostile environment and will be a formidable test as they head into the playoffs.
