Just because the New England Patriots are on bye this week doesn’t mean that you should be on bye, too. The Pats are one of six idle NFL teams this week (Eagles, Broncos, Texans, Jaguars, Redskins), but that means there are still 26 teams and 13 games worth paying attention to on Thursday, Sunday, and Monday.
Some of these games could have major ramifications on the playoff race that’s already starting to take shape. Other games are important to the Patriots specifically because of their impact on New England’s quest for an 11th straight postseason appearance.