Patriots Get Breathing Room On Draft Board In Week 14 Early Window

The New England Patriots are idle on Sunday after the 21-18 win in Pittsburgh over the Steelers on Thursday night.

The victory was a win-win for the Patriots, snapping a five-game losing streak and maintaining the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft as the Arizona Cardinals were on their bye week.

Despite not playing on Sunday, the Patriots still benefited in the draft standings as potential competition for top picks moved the other way.

The Chicago Bears and the New York Jets each earned win No. 5 on the season in Week 14, giving New England a two-game advantage in the win column for the top pick in the draft.

The Jets defeated the Houston Texans in a 30-6 victory while the Bears earned a 28-13 win within the NFC North over the Detroit Lions.

After the early window of Sunday’s Week 14 games concluded, the Bears and Jets held the No. 7 and No. 8 picks, respectively. Through an offseason trade with the Carolina Panthers, the Bears would also still be in line for the No. 1 overall selection.

At 3-10, the Patriots return to action on Dec. 17 at Gillette Stadium to host the Kansas City Chiefs.