The Patriots took care of business in Week 17 against an undermanned Jets squad, and now enter the playoffs with a “win” of sorts already in their back pocket. By virtue of their first-round bye, New England now just needs two more wins to reach their fourth Super Bowl in five years.
For eight of the other 11 NFL playoff teams, two wins won’t be enough. The Texans, Colts, Seahawks, Cowboys, Ravens, Chargers, Eagles, and Bears all need to win this weekend in the Wild Card games just to make it to the next round of the 2018 playoffs: the divisional round, where the Patriots, Chiefs, Rams, and Saints all await them.