Earlier than the Patriots took on the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve, two different Week 16 video games immediately impacted their 2024 draft outlook.
Neither broke in New England’s favor.
The Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders each had been unable to finish unlikely second-half comebacks in Sunday’s early window, dropping to the Inexperienced Bay Packers and New York Jets, respectively, on late subject targets.
Carolina’s 33-30 defeat dropped the last-place Panthers to 2-13 and strengthened their odds of touchdown the No. 1 general choose, which they traded to the Chicago Bears final offseason.
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Had the Panthers received for the second consecutive week, the 3-11 Patriots might need had a possibility to take excessive spot within the draft order with a loss to Denver on Sunday night time, relying on how the energy of schedule tiebreaker shook out.
New England entered Sunday with a .523 SOS to Carolina’s .517, based on Tankathon. If two groups end with equivalent information, the crew with the decrease opponent’s successful share would obtain the upper draft choose.
Washington, in the meantime, erased a 20-point halftime deficit after benching quarterback Sam Howell for former Patriots backup Jacoby Brissett. However a 54-yard subject purpose by Greg Zierlein with 5 seconds remaining allowed the Jets to flee with a 30-28 win.
A Commanders win would have boosted the Patriots’ probabilities of securing a top-three draft choose — and, in flip, the assured alternative to draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams, North Carolina QB Drake Maye or Ohio State extensive receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. As an alternative, at 4-11, Washington now would possibly have the ability to leapfrog New England if the Patriots win in primetime, once more relying on the ever-changing energy of schedule.
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Patriots higher-ups additionally shall be carefully watching the Cardinals-Bears sport within the late-afternoon window. Arizona owned the No. 3 choose coming into Sunday, with New England within the No. 2 spot because of an SOS tiebreaker.
Right here’s how the highest 4 sorted the early video games:
1. Bears (through 2-13 Panthers; .518 SOS)
2. Patriots (3-11; .522 SOS)
3. Cardinals (3-11; .565 SOS)
4. Commanders (4-11; .523 SOS)
Patriots-Broncos is scheduled to kick off from Empower Discipline in Denver at 8:15 p.m. ET. It’s the third-to-last sport of the season for the long-eliminated Pats, who will end off at Buffalo in Week 17 and residential towards the Jets in Week 18.
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