Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel wants no part of New England playing in a “shirt and hat game” Sunday.
The first-year coach brought up in the Patriot Way under Bill Belichick is on the verge of placing New England back in the postseason for the first time since the 2021 season.
If the Patriots (11-2) beat the Buffalo Bills (9-4) at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, New England would be the first team to clinch a division this season. Even in the event of a loss or tie, there are combinations of results in Week 15 that could send the Patriots to the playoffs with three more regular-season games to go. The Patriots went 4-13 last season.
“We’re just trying to play for the championship that we have available this week,” Vrabel said. “It’s a great testament to our players who have put us in this position. It’s not going to be easy. There’s a reason they’ve won this division five years in a row.”
New England and Denver are jostling for the top seed in the AFC. The Broncos (11-2) have won 10 consecutive games and face NFC frontrunner Green Bay (9-3-1) later Sunday afternoon (4:25 p.m. ET).
The Broncos can clinch a playoff spot in the AFC with a win, or the combination of a tie and losses by either the Chargers or the AFC South’s three contenders: Jacksonville, Indianapolis or Houston.
There’s only one NFC team — the Los Angeles Rams (10-3) — with a chance to secure a playoff spot on Sunday. The Rams play the Lions (8-5) in Los Angeles in a win-and-in scenario.
Here’s the complete playoff picture as it stands entering Week 15:
AFC
Division leaders
1. Denver Broncos, 11-2, 7-2 vs. AFC
2. New England Patriots, 11-2, 6-2 vs. AFC
3. Jacksonville Jaguars, 9-4l, 6-2 vs. AFC
4. Pittsburgh Steelers, 7-6, 6-3 vs. AFC
Wild-card leaders
5. Los Angeles Chargers, 9-4, 7-2 vs. AFC
6. Buffalo Bills, 9-4, 6-3 vs. AFC
7. Houston Texans, 8-5, 7-2 vs. AFC
In the hunt
Indianapolis Colts, 8-5, 6-4 vs. AFC
Baltimore Ravens, 6-7, 4-5 vs. AFC
Kansas City Chiefs, 6-7, 3-5 vs. AFC
Miami Dolphins, 6-7, 3-6 vs. AFC
NFC
Division leaders
1. Los Angeles Rams, 10-3, 5-3 vs. NFC
2. Green Bay Packers, 9-3-1, 7-2-1 vs. NFC
3. Philadelphia Eagles, 8-5, 7-3 vs. NFC
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7-6, 5-4 vs. NFC
Wild-card leaders
5. Seattle Seahawks, 10-3, 6-3 vs. NFC
6. San Francisco 49ers, 9-4, 8-2 vs. NFC
7. Chicago Bears, 9-4, 6-3 vs. NFC
In the hunt
Detroit Lions, 8-5, 5-4
Carolina Panthers, 7-6, 5-3
Dallas Cowboys, 6-6-1, 3-5-1
Minnesota Vikings, 5-8, 3-5
