According to NBC Sports Boston reporter Phil Perry, the New England Patriots have a chance to qualify for the 2023 NFL playoffs.
He recently predicted that the Bill Belichick-coached squad would reach double-digit victories this season.
Perry became a believer in the Patriots’ favorable destiny after Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1.
"They've got to be a 10-win team now! The path to the Wildcard is there in a way that it wasn't 24 hours ago."@PhilAPerry talks about how things have changed for the Patriots after Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury pic.twitter.com/TRN5seQSAD
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) September 12, 2023
With the Patriots and the New York Jets facing each other twice a year as division rivals, their winning chances against their AFC East foes improved.
Their first encounter this season will happen in Week 3 at MetLife Stadium.
The Patriots will be either at 1-1 or 0-2 by that game, depending on how they fare against fellow division rival Miami Dolphins.
However, New England’s schedule doesn’t get easier after dropping their season-opener to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Before their bye week, they will face the Dallas Cowboys, the Buffalo Bills, and the Dolphins again.
The Bills remain a threat to the Patriots’ playoff hopes despite losing to the Jets in Week 1.
Meanwhile, the Jets’ defense proved to be an elite unit after forcing four turnovers off quarterback Josh Allen.
Therefore, it’s still not a walk in the park for the Patriots because 16 games is a long journey.
But each victory will bring them closer to ending their playoff win drought.
The Patriots last won a postseason game in 2018 when Tom Brady led them to victory in Super Bowl LIII.
Since then, they’ve alternately lost two Wild Card Round games and missed the playoffs twice with quarterbacks Cam Newton and Mac Jones.
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