The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

#TNF: Do or Die for @Patriots Tonight

Posted on | December 1, 2022 | Comments Off on #TNF: Do or Die for @Patriots Tonight

Tonight at 7:15 ET on Amazon Prime, the New England Patriots host the Buffalo Bills in an AFC East matchup that will in all probability decide whether the Patriots are a playoff team this year. Less than two weeks ago, after New England beat the New York Jets 10-3 on a last-second punt return by Marcus Jones, the Patriots were 6-4 and looked like a solid bet to make the playoffs. But on Thanksgiving, facing the Minneapolis Vikings — one of the strongest teams in the NFC — New England’s vaunted defense just couldn’t get the job done. Although QB Mac Jones had the best game of his NFL career (28-for-39 passing for 382 yards and two TDs), it wasn’t enough, and the Patriots lost 33-26, dropping their record to 6-5, last place in the AFC East.

This is one of the toughest divisions in the entire league. The Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills are both 8-3, with the Dolphins in first place by virtue of their better division record. The Jets, whom the Patriots have beaten twice, are in third place at 7-4. Even if New England wins tonight, they’ll still be in last place in the division, but they’ll be back in the thick of the competition for a wild card playoff spot, whereas if they lose . . . Well, God forbid they should lose. It’s an absolute must-win for the Patriots, and the pressure will be on Mac Jones to deliver another career-high game, while the New England defense will be tested against Bills QB Josh Allen, who is one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL, along with Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Jalen Hurts of the Eagles.

Gonna be a tough game in primetime tonight, but you know what? I’m happy. Even if the Patriots lose, it’s been a good day. Because CNN fired Chris Cillizza. Now, let’s go beat Buffalo . . .




 

Category: Football

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