Patriots, Chargers have plenty on line
The New England Patriots are going to make the AFC playoffs. The only question for them is whether they’ll up with a bye week, considering their 5-2 mark is tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs atop the conference.
The Los Angeles Chargers have no such assurances. Los Angeles started the season at 0-4, looking more lost than ever. Suddenly, the team has turned things around with wins over the New York Giants, Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos, putting it at 3-4 and squarely in the mix for a postseason berth.
On Sunday, the Patriots and Chargers will meet at Gillette Stadium, with each hoping to secure a huge win. Both sides are going to be without some key players. Los Angeles takes the field without CB Jason Verrett and ILB Denzel Perryman, while the Patriots are sans LB Dont’a Hightower, CB Eric Rowe and WR Julian Edelman. Suffice it to say, there is ample slack to be picked up.
New England is laying more than a touchdown in most Vegas books, but the line seems inflated. Most are going to look at the Patriots as a team figuring things out with three consecutive wins, including a near-shutout of the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night. Still, a closer examination of that game shows Atlanta having plenty of problems, more than the Patriots having a slew of answers.
On the other side of things, can a rookie head coach in Anthony Lynn possibly figure out a way to beat Bill Belichick in his own back yard, giving him a third home loss in 2017? The Chargers have plenty of offensive firepower including RB Melin Gordon, WRs Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams and Res Antonio gates and Hunter Henry, to go with Philip Rivers under center.
The offensive line isn’t great, but the Patriots have one of the weaker front sevens in the NFL, especially without Hightower. In fact, only Trey Flowers brings any kind of fire off the edge, allowing Rivers to potentially have a huge day.
If New England does find a way to win, though — and it certainly can — the Patriots will be 6-2 at the season’s halfway point and at the very worst, tied for the AFC lead. New England also has a very favorable schedule down the stretch, including five games against AFC East opponents. While the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills have to be accounted for as solid, neither is of the same quality as the Patriots.
If the Chargers win, they would be 4-4 and potentially in second place of the AFC West, with the Denver Broncos having to visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. Los Angeles would have to feel a wild card berth is a real hope instead of a pipe dream.
Regardless, Sunday’s matchup in Foxborough might end up being the best this weekend has to offer.
