As we finish our look at all the playoff scenarios -- here’s a handy page if you missed anything -- we wanted to clear up one misconception.
We’ve heard a number of outlets say the Patriots clinch the third seed with a victory over the Texans Sunday. That’s not true.
The Patriots are currently third over the Bengals due to an edge in strength of victory. That’s the tiebreaker used after conference record and common games. If the Bengals and Patriots both lose or both win Sunday, the tie would again be broken on strength of victory.
The Patriots currently have a big edge in this tiebreaker. If the Vikings beat the Bears tonight, the Patriots would have a five-game lead in the category going into Sunday.
That is a lot of ground to make up, but it’s not impossible. So it’s more accurate to say a win by the Patriots would give New England a high likelihood of earning the three seed. But they wouldn’t clinch the spot.
Glad we got that off our chest.
Note: Thanks to Joe Gesue of NBC Sports for help with this post.