patspulpit
The New England Patriots will look to extend their winning streak to three games when they host the New York Jets on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. That matchup is one of 14 games on the NFL slate this weekend, and Patriots fans have plenty of reasons to keep an eye on the other 13.
Below is a guide to which teams Patriots supporters should be pulling for in each of the remaining contests, along with the rationale behind each pick.
Thursday Night Football
Seattle Seahawks (3-2) at Denver Broncos (3-2), 8:15 p.m. ET (Prime Video): Root for the Seahawks. Although New England fell to Seattle earlier this season, a Seahawks victory would still bolster the Patriots' strength of schedule. Additionally, it would hand an AFC playoff contender a loss.
Sunday Morning (London)
Houston Texans (1-4) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1), 9:30 a.m. ET (NFL Network): Root for the Texans. A Houston win might negatively impact the Patriots' sixth-round draft choice acquired in the Marte Mapu trade, but the worst-case scenario is still preferable to a Jaguars win.
Sunday 1 p.m. ET Window
Chicago Bears (3-2) at Atlanta Falcons (2-3), 1 p.m. ET (FOX): Root for the Bears. This pick is all about strength of schedule, even though a Chicago win would give the Bears momentum heading into their game against the Patriots.
Baltimore Ravens (4-1) at Cleveland Browns (3-2), 1 p.m. ET (FOX): Root for the Browns. In this all-AFC North clash, someone has to win, so we're siding with the team with the worse record.
Tennessee Titans (0-5) at Indianapolis Colts (2-3), 1 p.m. ET (FOX): Root for the Titans. Same reasoning as the Ravens-Browns game above.
New Orleans Saints (1-4) at New York Giants (3-1-1), 1 p.m. ET (FOX): Root for the Giants. The Patriots own the Saints' sixth-round pick in 2026, and every New Orleans loss improves the draft position of that selection.
Carolina Panthers (2-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-3), 1 p.m. ET (CBS): Just hope for a good game. This matchup has no direct impact on the Patriots in 2026 or beyond.
Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-4), 1 p.m. ET (CBS): Root for the Buccaneers. It's the classic NFC-over-AFC pick, even though a Tampa Bay win would hurt New England's strength of victory and strength of schedule tiebreakers.
Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET Window
Arizona Cardinals (1-4) at Los Angeles Rams (2-3), 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX): Just hope for a good game. Another game with limited impact on the Patriots.
Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET Window
Los Angeles Chargers (0-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-0), 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS): Root for the Chargers. This would be the most unlikely upset of the weekend, but that's exactly what Patriots fans should be hoping for.
Buffalo Bills (4-1) at Las Vegas Raiders (3-2), 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS): Root for the Raiders. The Patriots are one game behind Buffalo for the AFC East lead, meaning they could leapfrog their rivals by Sunday night.
Sunday Night Football
Dallas Cowboys (2-3) at Green Bay Packers (3-2), 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC): Root for the Packers. Once again, this is all about strength of schedule.
Monday Night Football
Washington Commanders (1-3-1) at San Francisco 49ers (5-0), 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC): Just hope for a good game. Another game this week that matters little for the Patriots.
Key Analysis
While the Patriots' primary focus is on defeating the Jets, the outcomes of other games can significantly impact their playoff positioning. Strength of schedule and tiebreakers often come into play at the end of the season, making these rooting interests crucial for fans. Additionally, draft pick considerations add another layer of intrigue, as the Patriots hold selections that could be affected by other teams' performances.
Originally reported by patspulpit.