Sports

Patriots draft pick tracker: New England gets boost after Week 17 loss to Bills

Updated on: December 31, 2023 / 7:34 PM EST / CBS Boston

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BOSTON -- The New England Patriots are not tanking, which was obvious throughout Sunday's 27-21 loss to the Bills. The New England defense continues to bring it, and while the four first-half turnovers by Bailey Zappe and crew would say otherwise, the offense also continued to play hard and kept things close in Week 17.

If you are aboard the tank train, though, it was the best of both worlds for you on Sunday. The Patriots showed a lot of promise with some younger players making big plays, especially on defense. But it ultimately led to a loss to drop New England to 4-12, and the Patriots' draft position also got some help with the Arizona Cardinals pulling off a massive upset over the Philadelphia Eagles during the early window.

New England didn't get any help elsewhere, with the Washington Commanders losing to the San Francisco 49ers to also drop to 4-12. The Carolina Panthers also lost to clinch the No. 1 pick, which will go to the Chicago Bears at season's end, so the Pats and everyone else are officially out of the running for the first overall pick.

But Sunday's Cardinals loss puts the Patriots back into the mix for a top-three pick, and they are still in the running for the second-overall selection.

The Pats would currently pick third overall, with the Commanders holding a slight edge over New England in the Strength of Schedule battle. But picking in the top three would greatly help the team's chances to land a new franchise quarterback or another playmaker on offense.

As for Week 18, New England hosts the 6-10 New York Jets while Washington closes the season with a home game against the 11-5 Dallas Cowboys. Arizona hosts the 8-7 Seattle Seahawks. The Pats could fall as far as the No. 6 or No. 7 pick next weekend with a win over the Jets and if the New York Giants, Titans, and Chargers all lose to finish with five wins. Losing to the Jets, a team the Patriots have beat 15 straight times, would ensure a top-four pick for New England.

Buckle up, because there is going to be a lot of scoreboard watching next weekend.

Matt Geagan

Matthew Geagan is a sports producer for CBS Boston. He has been part of the WBZ sports team for nearly 20 years. He moved over to the web in 2012 and has covered all the highs (and a few lows) in Boston sports.