The New England Patriots needed a last-second field goal Monday night to defeat the winless New York Jets.
And their road is about to get much more treacherous.
New England has eight opponents remaining on its 2020 schedule. Save for a Week 17 rematch with the Jets at Gillette Stadium, all of those foes boast either a winning record, a talented quarterback or, in most cases, both.
Monday’s 30-27 victory improved the Patriots’ record to 3-5, keeping their slim playoff chances alive. To avoid missing the postseason for the first time since 2008, they’ll likely need to lose no more than a game or two while they navigate this gauntlet:
Week 10: Home versus Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens (6-2), who shook off a sluggish start Sunday to beat a good Indianapolis Colts team by two touchdowns.