Break out your Vince Wilfork jerseys, Patriots Nation. It’s time to cheer on the Houston Texans.
The No. 4 seeded Houston Texans take on the No. 5 Kansas City Chiefs in the opening game of Wild Card Weekend on Saturday at 4:20 p.m. ET. The New England Patriots will know their divisional-round opponent after the No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals’ matchup with the No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers is over Saturday night.
The Patriots’ best-case scenario would be to play a beatable team in their first round of the playoffs while the Denver Broncos face a challenge in the divisional round, potentially relinquishing home-field advantage to New England with a loss.
Here’s how Patriots fans should root on Saturday:
BEST-CASE SCENARIO
— No. 4 Texans beat No. 5 Chiefs
— No. 6 Steelers beat No. 3 Bengals
— No. 2 Patriots play No. 4 Texans
— No. 1 Broncos play No. 6 Steelers
The Patriots already walloped the Texans in Houston this season, so beating them at Gillette Stadium shouldn’t be a problem. The Steelers also should present a tough matchup for the Broncos, who have to lose in the divisional round for the Patriots to take home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
NEXT-BEST SCENARIOS
— No. 5 Chiefs beat No. 4 Texans
— No. 3 Bengals beat No. 6 Steelers
— No. 2 Patriots play No. 3 Bengals
— No. 1 Broncos play No. 5 Chiefs
Neither of these scenarios would be disastrous for the Patriots. It’s really difficult to decide who’s a more difficult matchup between the Chiefs and Bengals, and the Steelers and Chiefs both could beat the Broncos. The Chiefs might be a slightly more difficult matchup for the Patriots than the Bengals, so if Kansas City beats the Texans, fans should then cheer for Cincinnati to beat the Steelers.
— No. 5 Chiefs beat No. 4 Texans
— No. 6 Steelers beat No. 3 Bengals
— No. 2 Patriots play No. 5 Chiefs
— No. 1 Broncos play No. 6 Steelers
WORST-CASE SCENARIO
— No. 4 Texans beat No. 5 Chiefs
— No. 3 Bengals beat No. 6 Steelers
— No. 2 Patriots play No. 3 Bengals
— No. 1 Broncos play No. 4 Texans
If the Texans win the early game Saturday, Patriots fans should immediately go out and buy some Steelers footie pajamas to cheer on their new favorite team. The Texans don’t stand much of a chance of beating the Broncos in Denver, and the Bengals could be a tough matchup for the Patriots.
If the Texans and Bengals win, then the Super Bowl almost certainly goes through Denver, where the Patriots already have lost this season.
Thumbnail photo via Jason Bridge/USA TODAY Sports Images
