The New England Patriots have some fight left in them. With the most important matchup of the season coming on New Years Day, the Patriots are in a position where they control their own destiny.
If they lose, they will be eliminated from playoff contention, but if they win, they’ll still have an opportunity to sneak in through the backdoor of the playoffs.
To do so, they’ll have to beat the same Dolphins team that handed them a 20-7 loss in the regular season opener. Will things play out differently at Gillette Stadium?
Let’s take a look at the key positional matchups that could determine if the Patriots are playoff-bound for another year, or if they fall short for the second time in three seasons.