LOS ANGELES — It was just the kick in the pants they needed.
When Nick Folk sent his 51-yard field goal soaring through the humid Meadowlands air in the late-night hours of Nov. 7 to secure a 30-27 win over the Jets, it ended the Patriots’ four-game losing streak.
It also started something — an unlikely playoff push.
Folk’s boot not only erased the memories of that ugly stretch that coincided with the onset of team’s COVID-19 flare-up, it breathed new life into Cam Newton, who just a week earlier had appeared to be at his lowest point — despondent after the quarterback’s late fumble cost the club a shot at a win at Buffalo.
The Patriots have won four of their last five games, with their only blemish that speedbump in Houston when Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson played as close to a flawless game as anyone this season.
They continued their push Sunday by pushing the Chargers all over SoFi Stadium and in order to keep the train moving, Bill Belichick’s club will have to adopt the mantra of a team that used to call Tinseltown home.
Just win, baby.
Priority No. 1 is winning out. There’s simply too small a margin for error, with the Patriots being two games out of the picture with four remaining.
According to FiveThirtyEight.com, the folks that crunch numbers the way the Patriots crunched Justin Herbert Sunday, New England currently has a 16 percent chance of earning a playoff spot.
However, if the Patriots run the table over the next four weeks, their chances soar to 94 percent.
So, if they go 4-0, they’ll need help in the form of one or more of the current wild-card holders ahead of them — the Browns, Dolphins, and Colts, to fall on their faces, while also jumping the Raiders and Ravens.
The silver linings to the scenarios are that the Patriots own head-to-head tiebreakers against the Dolphins, Ravens, and Raiders.
“We understand what position we are in,’' Newton said. “Everything is pretty much in front of us. We’ve just got to really [hone] in and focus on the opponents that we face that week and maximize each and every opportunity. If we keep that going on, we’ll be in good graces.’'
New England first faces a three-game gauntlet against teams that look playoff bound, the Rams, Dolphins, and Bills, all of whom have eight wins, before closing the season against the moribund Jets.
It’s a big ask — especially considering the first two are on the road – back here at SoFi — and then a trip to Miami Gardens for the annual rock fight with the Dolphins.
With earlier wins over the Dolphins, Raiders, Ravens, and Cardinals (not to mention near misses in Seattle and Buffalo), the Patriots proved they can play with any team in the league. They even had Patrick Mahomes running scared at the start of the coronavirus calamity.
They were still reeling from the COVID-19 fallout against the Broncos and never found their footing against 49ers but have been competitive in every tilt since.
Looking ahead, Miami appears to have the toughest remaining schedule of the teams ahead of New England, with the Chiefs, Patriots, Raiders, and Bills on its dance card. Cleveland has difficult games remaining against the Ravens, Giants, Jets, and Steelers. Ditto Indianapolis with the Raiders, Texans, Steelers, and Jaguars.
Baltimore was reeling even before its coronavirus outbreak and have lost four of five. The Ravens have three eminently winnable games left against the Cowboys, Jaguars, and Bengals and tough tilts with the Browns and Giants. Las Vegas finishes with Colts, Chargers, Dolphins, and Broncos.
There’s also still a remote chance the Patriots could win the AFC East, too. They would have to win out and have the Bills lose to the Steelers and Dolphins and have the Dolphins lose to the Chiefs. This would give New England the title via tiebreaker.
For now, it’s not about scenarios, it’s about winning, something they’ve done in four of their last five games dating back to Folk’s momentous 51-yard field goal. .
For center David Andrews, the needed late-season surge is something new, but he’s rolling with it.
“I think we just figured out how we’re going to win. How we have to play,’' Andrews said after Monday’s walkthrough at UCLA when asked about the team’s growing confidence. “A lot of the young guys are really coming on for us, playing really good ball, and kind of learning what it takes to play. It’s obviously a different team and a different style this year.
“It just took us a little bit longer than it should have at times but, you know, we’re here now, you can’t change that. All we can do is keep improving and keep moving forward.’'
And keep winning.
Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globejimmcbride.
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December 08, 2020 at 08:13AM
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After winning four of their last five, the Patriots’ playoff chances will improve if they just win out, baby - The Boston Globe
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