Ringer Names ‘Only Enemy’ That Could Make Patriots Miss NFL Playoffs

Only one undefeated foe can keep the New England Patriots out of the NFL playoffs this season, but chances are they won’t face off in 2019.

In assessing each NFL team’s danger of missing the playoffs, The Ringer’s Danny Heifetz on Wednesday identified Father Time as the “only enemy” that will prevent the Patriots from reaching the postseason. He cites New England’s incredible run of qualifying for the playoffs 15 out of the last 16 seasons as reason to assume the team’s 2019 season will continue into the new year when postseason games begin.

“… New England’s reign will end eventually,” Heifetz wrote. “(Quarterback Tom) Brady is 42, and while he’s defied Father Time, he is officially in uncharted waters for NFL quarterbacks; he looked uneasy by the end of last season (including a quietly meh Super Bowl performance that would have been a bigger story if his team needed more than one touchdown). But picking against the Patriots is silly until we see otherwise.

“Danger of missing the playoffs: Their only enemy is the slow march of time, and we rarely know when it is outside the gates.”

Who’s willing to argue with Heifetz on this front?

While some analysts harbor serious doubts about the Patriots’ chances of repeating as Super Bowl champion, oddsmakers still peg New England as the favorite to claim the Lombardi Trophy.

The gap between competing for Super Bowl glory and missing the playoffs entirely probably isn’t wide enough for Father Time to rush in and wreck the Patriots’ season.