The writing was already on the wall, but it has now become official: the New England Patriots will not qualify for the NFL playoffs this season.
Despite winning their Week 14 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, a 34-14 Cincinnati Bengals victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday — one of several possible elimination scenarios — has officially closed the door for the team. At 3-10, however, the odds of them eventually making it into the tournament were only of a theoretic nature to begin with.
This marks the third time in the last four years that the Patriots have failed to reach the playoffs.