What makes these Patriots unique are the significant roles held by young players, specifically rookies Mac Jones, Christian Barmore and Rhamondre Stevenson.Ĭonsider this: If Jones, who played in all three preseason games, goes on to play in the Super Bowl without a first-round bye, he will have played in 23 games since arriving in New England - on top of enduring the rigors of NFL training camp, practices and overall physicality. Players such as Collins, Devin McCourty (34), Dont’a Hightower (31), Kyle Van Noy (30), Lawrence Guy (31) and Adrian Phillips and Matthew Judon (both 29) would benefit from an extra week of rest at the end of a 17-game slate.Īll of them are key players on a defense that plays a physical brand of football and, really, steers the ship of the 2021 Patriots. The midseason addition of 32-year-old Jamie Collins only made the Patriots, who now have an average age of 27.3, longer in the tooth. The Patriots began the 2021 season with one of the oldest roster s (average age of 26.5) in the NFL. That’s a lot of football, and enduring such a schedule will be particularly difficult for older players and rookies. The two teams that participate in Super Bowl LVI will have played at least 19 games and as many as 20. Of course, a playoff bye helps any team, and that’s especially true this season with the addition of a 17th game. Perhaps more than ever before, it would behoove the Patriots to finish the regular season atop the AFC standings.

(There are five weeks remaining in the regular season). 1 seed is a total dogfight, with 9-4 New England currently leading three teams with eight wins and four teams with seven wins. That they routinely skipped the wild card round played a huge role in their annual appearance in the conference championship game.Īfter a year off, the post-Tom Brady Patriots once again appear playoff-bound. Why First-Round Bye Would Help These Patriots More Than Past Teamsįor years (like, 20 of them), the top seed in the AFC and a first-round playoff bye felt preordained for the New England Patriots.

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