This is a really good win, in and of itself. I just hope it doesn’t propel them to a thoroughly mediocre record and a mediocre draft position. I still can’t see this team rallying to make the playoffs or be a real threat. I don’t want to see them end up in no-man’s land.
If you want my "path".
@MIA, @BUF, KC feel like the guaranteed losses IMO the rest of the season. But literally every other game is winnable, some more than others.
If they can go 2-1 in the next 3 (assume loss next week), they'd be 4-6 at the bye. After that, it's a wretched Giants team, and then Chargers + @Steelers. Won't be easy of course but I don't think LAC and PIT are "no chance" games, they got a shot to win them, especially against LAC. And they still have two more left against Denver, then the Jets at home with Zach Wilson probably still playing.
If that plays out, they could finish 9-8, obviously needing some help maybe based on tiebreakers. In the last two years though, each conference has had a 9-8 team make the playoffs, the only exception being 2021 where technically PIT went 9-7-1 and made it as a 7 seed. Even last year, Pats could have made it if they won Week 18 and went to 9-8. So not likely, but not impossible.
It's still super unlikely, but I still think we'll be in the mix by December. A lot can change every week in the NFL and upsets are happening a lot more frequently now. I also wonder how they approach the trade deadline now. I don't think the locker room is "broken" or think there's "no chance", and if they can hang against PHI and beat BUF then they could theoretically beat anyone (though yes, they have had some horrible losses to other meh teams like LAV/NO)
