The New England Patriots have not been in the playoffs since the 2021 season, but their drought could be nearing its end. Winning a fifth straight game on Sunday versus the Cleveland Browns to improve to 6-2 on the year, the club of first-year head coach Mike Vrabel remains in the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

That position paired with a schedule that features only two more opponents with winning records means that the Patriots are facing a very favorable outlook. In fact, according to the playoff simulator over at The Athletic, they currently have a 96% chance of qualifying for the tournament — an increase of 4% compared to last week.

AFC playoff picture after Week 8 • Indianapolis Colts (7-1) • New England Patriots (6-2) • Denver Broncos (6-2) • Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) • Buffalo B

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