AFC playoffs: 5 matchups for Patriots fans to watch

For the third straight week, the Patriots will be idle on Sunday.

New England takes on Indianapolis on Saturday, allowing the Patriots to sit back as 14 matchups take place on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. While the Patriots control their own playoff destiny, there are a handful of matchups that could help the Patriots clinch a playoff spot sooner or make life more difficult for them after Christmas.

Here are five games for Patriots fans to keep an eye on this Sunday.

Panthers at Bills, 1 p.m.

Patriots fans know by now that their biggest contender for the AFC East title is the Bills. But Buffalo’s stumbled the last two weeks, losing to New England and Tampa Bay to fall to 7-6.

So, while Sunday’s game isn’t a must-win for the Bills, it certainly feels like another loss would be devastating. Luckily for them, they go up against a 5-8 Panthers team that’s lost eight of their last 10 games.

On top of that, their quarterback situation doesn’t look good. Cam Newton is set to start again after getting benched in Week 14 against the Falcons. Since returning to Carolina, Newton’s thrown three touchdowns and three interceptions. He has rushed for a touchdown in each of his four games, but is 0-3 as a starter.

Bills starting quarterback Josh Allen has been dealing with a foot injury, but he’s expected to start.

Jets at Dolphins, 1 p.m.

Sunday’s matchup between the 3-10 Jets and the 6-7 Dolphins actually has some playoff implications for the Patriots. If New England wins Saturday night, it can clinch a playoff spot if Miami loses and if a few other things happen.

It does seem unlikely though that the Dolphins will lose. They defeated the Jets 24-17 in November, which moved their winning streak to three games at the time. Miami’s won two more games since then, turning its season around as Brian Flores and company look to finally break through and make the playoffs.

Sunday’s game against the Jets though is a must-win for the Dolphins though if they want to catch the Patriots in the standings. As they come off the bye week and ride a five-game win streak, the Dolphins are looking like a team that could give the Patriots fits in the regular-season finale.

Titans at Steelers, 1 p.m.

The Titans are one of the few teams the Patriots are battling with for the AFC’s top seed. Both teams enter Week 15 with identical records, but the Patriots have the edge because of their win over the Titans in Week 12.

But the Patriots might need the Titans to lose Sunday if they lose Saturday night. If the Patriots win though, a Titans loss would give them a mulligan as they enter the final three games of the season.

Sunday’s matchup doesn’t appear to be a walk in the park for the Titans, either. They’re actually 1.5-point underdogs on the road as they go up against the Steelers, who are 6-6-1 and looking to stay in the playoff race themselves.

Tennesse is also still without star running back Derrick Henry and talented receiver A.J. Brown, making life a bit more difficult against Ryan Tannehill.

Bengals at Broncos, 4:05 p.m.

This game could have implications for the Patriots if they win and the Dolphins lose as a Broncos loss or tie could help them clinch a playoff spot.

But even if the Dolphins win earlier in the day, this game could feature a future playoff opponent for the Patriots. The Bengals appear to be the most healthy team in the AFC North, giving them a leg up on their rivals to win the division in that regard even though they’re a game behind the Ravens.

However, the Bengals have lost their last two games and the trip to Denver won’t be an easy one for their dynamic offense. The Broncos hold the seventh-best defense in the league and are second in points against.

Like Cincinnati, Denver’s also 7-6 but appears to be fighting for a wild card bid as the Chiefs run away with the AFC West. The Broncos have won four of their last six though and look like a team that could potentially pull of an upset in the playoffs off the backs of their defense.

Packers at Ravens. 4:25 p.m.

The Ravens, along with the Chiefs and Titans, are one of the main contenders to knock the Patriots off from the top spot in the AFC. But they don’t sit in a good spot entering Sunday’s game against the Packers.

Baltimore’s lost its last two games, dropping to 8-5 and a game back of the Patriots. On top of that, it’s looking like the Ravens will be without star quarterback Lamar Jackson after he suffered an ankle injury in their loss to the Browns last week.

Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley did have some impressive moments though against the Browns, throwing for 270 yards as he almost led the Ravens to a 21-point comeback win.

However, he’ll go up against a much tougher opponent on Sunday. The Packers hold the NFC’s top seed with a 10-3 record and their defense is the sixth-best in the league. On the other side of the ball, Aaron Rodgers is making a case to win a second straight MVP as he’s thrown for 3,219 yards and 27 touchdowns so far this season.