Yahoo Sports Patriots look to keep playoff hopes alive in tough matchup with Rams on Yahoo Sports app
Don’t count the New England Patriots out just yet.
In a season that’s suffered in the absence of Tom Brady, the Patriots looked cooked halfway through the season. But after last week’s 45-0 blowout of the Los Angeles Chargers, the Patriots stated loud and clear that they’re still alive.
The math confirms that they’re a factor in the AFC playoff race.
Can Patriots bounce back for playoff run?
The 6-6 Patriots are in an unfamiliar position 12 games into the season. They’re looking up at the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins in the AFC East. And they’re in a battle with the 7-5 Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders trying to break their way into the playoff bracket, which currently has the 8-4 Indianapolis Colts as the last team in.
According to The New York Times, their chances of making the postseason stand at 15 percent. If there’s ever a 15 percent long shot to bet on, it would be Bill Belichick’s Patriots, right?
If they’re going to make an unlikely run to the postseason, they’re going to have to earn it these last four weeks, starting with a tough Thursday night matchup against the Los Angeles Rams that can be live-streamed on the Yahoo Sports app.
Rams look like contenders
Engaged in a battle for the NFC West, the 8-4 Rams have their own playoff motivations to get up for Thursday’s game. And this year’s unit is starting to resemble the 2018 team that made the Super Bowl more than last year’s team that fizzled and failed to make the playoffs.
The Rams are fresh off a dominant win over the upstart Arizona Cardinals. The win was their third in four games in a stretch that also included victories over the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, teams that also figure into the NFC playoff picture.
Aaron Donald anchors a stifling defense in his usual spot among the favorites to win Defensive Player of the Year. And Jared Goff is once again among the league’s most productive passers while running Sean McVay’s precision offense.
These Rams aren’t quite the 2018 unit that torched the NFL for more than 420 yards per game. But they’re good enough to rank as the league’s third-most productive offense behind the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers.
Donald’s defense? Ranked second in the league behind the New Orleans Saints. That pads the resume of an under-the-radar Super Bowl contender. And they’re tied with the Seahawks for first place in their division. They have plenty to play for on Thursday.
This looks like a Bill Belichick team
No, keeping their playoff hopes alive won’t be easy by any stretch for the Patriots. But they’re playing well at the right time.
Belichick’s defense was the first this season to solve the rookie riddle of Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who was taking the NFL by storm until last week’s two-interception dud. New England’s special teams did the rest in a performance that embarrassed the Chargers. The Patriots scored 45 points with only 69 passing yards from Cam Newton.
The week prior, the Patriots went on the road to beat Kyler Murray’s Cardinals. They’ve won four out of five in a stretch that also included a win over the Baltimore Ravens. They’re doing it the old-school Patriots way — on defense and special teams while mitigating their opponent’s top weapon.
A month ago, this matchup looked like a flop as the Patriots floundered in what looked like a lost season. Instead it will feature two of the NFL’s hottest teams battling with playoff implications at stake.
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