New England Patriots
A win would secure at least the No. 2 seed in the AFC for New England.
FOXBOROUGH — The New England Patriots clinched a playoff berth last week and the AFC East in back-to-back weeks in December.
But with one game left on the regular-season docket, New England still has plenty to play for on Sunday when it comes to playoff seeding in the AFC.
For Week 18, the Patriots (13-3) will host the Dolphins (7-9) at Gillette Stadium.
Kick-off is set for 4:25 p.m. from Foxborough. You can watch the game on FOX, as well as listen on 98.5 The Sports Hub.
A win on Sunday would secure at least the No. 2 seed in the AFC for New England, while also putting them in the mix to leapfrog the Broncos for the No. 1 seed and earn a first-round bye for the playoffs.
However, the Patriots also need the Chargers to beat the Broncos in Denver on Sunday to open the door for the No. 1 seed — a scenario that seems unlikely after Los Angeles announced Justin Herbert will not play against the Broncos.
A loss could complicate matters for New England, as they could drop to the No. 3 seed if they fall to Miami and the Jaguars (already up big on the Titans) come away with a win on Sunday afternoon.
As the Patriots try to end the regular season on a high note, follow along here for live updates from Sunday’s game, and check back once the game wraps for some early observations.
LIVE UPDATES
3:05: For those looking to keep tabs on New England’s various seeding scenarios, Conor Roche has you covered here!
3:00: Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa is the emergency third QB for Miami today. Yikes!
Quinn Ewers is expected to start for the Dolphins.
2:55: A look at the Patriots inactives:
No surprise, but Spillane, Landry, Tonga, and others are out. New England wisely prescribing rest for those key cogs on defense.
2:39: Greetings from Gillette!
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
