Finishing the regular season with an 8-9 record, the New England Patriots failed to qualify for the NFL playoffs. That does not mean that there is nothing to root for in the tournament, though.
After all 14 non-Patriots teams are left standing. With no clear cut club to cheer on over the coming weeks, the latest SB Nation Reacts survey asked fans about who their “replacement teams” would be, in a way.
were able to get the most votes. 48 percent of participants opted to pick Joe Burrow and company. While the reason behind this choice will differ from fan to fan, one possible explanation is Cincinnati having former New England offensive lineman Ted Karras at the center position.