Why Patriots Should Want To Face These Two Teams In Postseason

The Patriots find themselves in an excellent position to secure a playoff spot and should start considering the potential teams they might face in the postseason.

New England is in a solid position to take the AFC East title and clinch a first-round bye. However, if the Patriots can’t secure that bye, they’ll need to come out on top in three playoff games to make it to the Super Bowl.

There are several teams New England might hope to face in the postseason, as those matchups could be the best.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers are riding high after an exciting win on “Monday Night Football” against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, Los Angeles displayed several flaws that the Patriots can expose.

Los Angeles is facing a significant challenge on the offensive line, as both of its starting tackles, Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, have been ruled out for the season. Currently, the Chargers rank 30th in Pro Football Focus’s pass-blocking rankings.

New England could capitalize on the Chargers’ banged-up offensive line, making it challenging for quarterback Justin Herbert to find his rhythm.

The Chargers have a strong defense, but given how Drake Maye has been performing this season, he should be able to capitalize on a few scoring opportunities against Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is currently in second place in the AFC West, making it the No. 6 seed in the conference. With the Denver Broncos having a solid lead in the division, it is looking like the Chargers are on track to secure a playoff spot as a wild card team.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars have taken the lead in the AFC South and currently hold the No. 3 seed in the AFC. As New England is in the No. 2 spot in the conference, there’s a possibility that the Patriots and Jacksonville could face off in the divisional round.

Jacksonville’s quarterback, Trevor Lawrence is enjoying a solid season, but the Patriots would still have the upper hand at the quarterback position in this matchup.

The Patriots also have the advantage of a more experienced head coach, especially given that the Jaguars have a first-year head coach in Liam Coen.

New England’s head coach, Mike Vrabel guided the Tennessee Titans to the playoffs three times and reached the AFC Championship game in 2019. With his postseason experience, Vrabel is well-equipped to take on Coen.