Heading into Sunday’s slate of NFL games, there was a sliver of hope that a late run to finish 7-10 by Bill Belichick’s team might mean a shot at playing in January, given that the New England Patriots weren’t quite mathematically eliminated.
Unfortunately, on Sunday, that door closed, and they’re now officially out of the running.
The Bengals’ 34-14 win at home over the Colts ended any miracle chance New England might have had to get into the postseason. Now, instead, the club will spend these final four games playing the role of spoiler against three teams still in playoff contention.