What are the Patriots’ playoff odds after starting 2-5?

Since 2010, only four NFL teams have made the playoffs after starting 2-5, which is where the Patriots find themselves after Sunday’s loss at Buffalo.

Dating back to 1990, that list of postseason underdogs only grows to seven.

The most recent team was the 2018 Colts, a team ravaged by injury in September and October that rallied and recovered behind an Pro Bowl quarterback in his prime, Andrew Luck. They won their last four regular-season games, including two by one score, and beat the Texans on the road in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. However, they were bounced in the divisional round, just like every other postseason team that started 2-5 has been since 1990.

The others in that category were the 2015 Texans, 2015 Chiefs, 2011 Broncos, 2002 Jets, 1995 Lions and 1990 Saints.

If the Pats are to become a historical exception, they’ll need to win against a few of the projected playoff-bound teams on their schedule. Those games are as follows: vs. Baltimore, vs. Arizona, at Los Angeles Rams and vs. Buffalo. The Patriots will also travel to Miami and play at the Chargers, both teams ahead of them in a competitive AFC Wild Card hunt.

Based on recent NFL history, their odds of making the postseason are 4.8%. On average, teams that start 2-5 finished with a 6-10 record.

Under Bill Belichick, the Pats have missed the playoffs in just three of 20 seasons. They’ve won the AFC East every year dating back to 2009.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2HYVkde