Patriots Question of the Day: Will the Pats make the playoffs?
FOXBORO -- The 2022 Patriots season is nearly upon us, and we're down to one final question for the WBZ-TV/CBS Boston sports team. It's a pretty simple one, too.
Will the Patriots make the playoffs? OK, maybe it is a little complex.
The AFC is loaded this season, and the AFC East is a lot more difficult with the Bills looking downright dominant and the Dolphins on the rise. (At least the Jets are still the Jets.) Making the playoffs for a second season in a row will be no easy task for the 2022 New England Patriots.
As is usually the case when it comes to predicting anything for the Patriots, the TV guys are a lot more optimistic than the web guys. We're split on if there will be any postseason football in New England come January, but at least there is a nice variety of regular season records for you to enjoy.
Steve Burton, WBZ-TV Sports
I think the Patriots will go 11-6 and they'll make the playoffs again. The AFC East is tough with the Bills on top, but if the Pats can split their first four games they could do some serious damage ahead of their Week 10 bye, and anything can happen after that.
Dan Roche, WBZ-TV Sports
I'm a glass-half-full guy as you all know. I'll go with 10-7 again and they make the playoffs. That would be fine with me as long as they show progress as the season goes on.
Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
It doesn't feel great. They'll win some games; they have too much talent not to, and Bill Belichick is still Bill Belichick. But the overall operation isn't the well-oiled machine we've grown accustomed to seeing, so I'm anticipating some extra losses along the way in addition to the ones we expect (Green Bay, Buffalo, etc.).
I'll go 8-9 and no playoffs. The drought without a postseason victory will extend to a fourth year.
Matthew Geagan, CBS Boston
If the Patriots survive the first month -- road games against the Dolphins, Steelers, and Packers and a home meeting against the Ravens -- then maybe they'll surprise a lot of people and rack up a double digit win total. But I'm choosing chaos and picking the Patriots to finish 8-8-1 in a season where they never go above .500. If they were going to finish with a tie, this feels like the year. (Thanksgiving night against the Vikings. BANK IT!)
That record probably won't be enough for the playoffs, unless the rest of the AFC just beats the tar out of each other. I don't think the Pats will be that fortunate.
Tune in to Patriots-Dolphins on WBZ-TV -- the television home of the New England Patriots! Sunday's coverage kicks off at 11:30 a.m. with Patriots GameDay, the Patriots and the Dolphins get underway at 1 p.m., and after the game switch over to Patriots 5th Quarter on TV38 for full reaction and analysis!
