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    Patriots’ Playoff Chances in Week 11: Is New England In or Out of NFL Playoff Race?

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    What are the New England Patriots' chances of making the NFL playoffs or even winning the Super Bowl? Let's look at all the scenarios in play.

    The New England Patriots are in the middle of a full-on rebuild.

    It looks like the Patriots have their next franchise quarterback in Drake Maye. And multiple performances this season, including the Week 10 win over the Chicago Bears, indicate New England has a capable head coach in Jerod Mayo. However, the bad has far outweighed the good this season, and the Patriots still have a long way to go.

    But what are New England’s chances of making the playoffs or winning the Super Bowl, especially after their Week 11 loss to the Rams? Let’s look at all the scenarios in play.

    PFN Playoff Predictor
    Try out Pro Football Network's FREE playoff predictor, where you can simulate every game of the NFL season and see how it all shakes out!

    Can the Patriots Make the Playoffs?

    After all the action in Week 11, the New England Patriots are 3-8 and now have a 0.2% chance to make the playoffs.

    They have a 0.0% chance for the 1 seed, a 0.0% chance for the second seed, a 0.0% chance for the third seed, a 0.0% chance for the fourth seed, a 0.0% chance for the fifth seed, a 0.0% chance for the sixth seed, and a 0.2% chance for the seventh seed.

    Can the Patriots Win the AFC East?

    Here’s what the AFC East race looks like after all the Sunday action in Week 11:

    • The Buffalo Bills have a 98.8% chance to win the AFC East.
    • The Miami Dolphins have a 1.1% chance to win the AFC East.
    • The New England Patriots have a 0.0% chance to win the AFC East.
    • The New York Jets have a 0.1% chance to win the AFC East.

    Current AFC East Standings

    1. Buffalo Bills (9-2)
    2. Miami Dolphins (4-6)
    3. New York Jets (3-8)
    4. New England Patriots (3-8)

    Patriots’ Super Bowl Chances After Week 11

    Can New England win the Super Bowl? The PFN Playoff Predictor projects that the Patriots have a 0.0% chance to win it all.

    Patriots’ Remaining Schedule

    What PFN Predicted for the Rams vs. Patriots Matchup

    This is a tricky matchup.

    On the one hand, the Patriots are one of the NFL‘s worst teams — especially in key areas. They’re weak on the offensive line, soft on the defensive line, and inexperienced at head coach and quarterback. Hence, the 3-7 record.

    On the other hand, New England’s O-line and run defense have significantly improved over the last month. Moreover, the Patriots could even potentially be on a three-game winning streak if Mayo had gone for two points at the end of regulation in Week 9.

    On offense, it’s all about Maye, whose dual-threat abilities have raised the overall ceiling of the unit. He just needs to limit the turnovers (five interceptions and three fumbles in five starts). If he finds room to run on Sunday, the Patriots should be able to keep pace with the Rams’ offense.

    With all that said, this game could be determined by New England’s ability to stop the run.

    If the Patriots keep Kyren Williams in check, their secondary should be able to hold its own against Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. You have to worry whether Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington will be overmatched by Sean McVay, but New England has enough talent to limit an offense that’s averaging just 20.6 points per game.
    Added: Plus, if you watched the Rams score just 15 points against the Dolphins on Monday night, you know their offense isn’t firing on all cylinders.

    Finally, the timing could work in New England’s favor. West Coast teams always are at a disadvantage when flying across the country, and the Rams also will be playing on short rest. If the Patriots can get off to a fast start and play the game on their terms, they’ll have a good shot at earning their third victory in four weeks.

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