[mm-video type=video id=01fqyq8tzx8xsr4d5h16 playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fqyq8tzx8xsr4d5h16/01fqyq8tzx8xsr4d5h16-74c8d4df62daf2f673e90c878ab779f0.jpg]
Imagine arguably the greatest coach in NFL history coming to town for a playoff game. That’s what would happen if the playoffs started today.
The Cincinnati Bengals currently hold the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs at 9-6 and can clinch the AFC North with a win over the Chiefs on Sunday. If the season ended today, they would host the No. 6 seed in the AFC Wild Card playoffs.
That team at the moment…Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.
After losing to the Buffalo Bills in Week 16, the Patriots conceded the AFC East lead to Buffalo and as a result of their loss to the Colts a few weeks ago, New England currently sits as the No. 6 seed at 9-6.
Wouldn’t that be something to host the Patriots in the playoffs? The crazy thing is that Cincinnati probably would be favored in this game as well. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones seems to have hit the proverbial rookie wall over the last two weeks.
As the bracket stands now, if the Bengals were to face the Patriots and win, they would likely visit No. 2 Tennessee in the Divisional Playoffs, unless current No. 7 seed Miami were to pull the upset. That would send the Dolphins to Kansas City for the second round and Cincinnati would host the winner of Buffalo-Indianapolis.
Two weeks of drama left and a lot can change. The Bengals can land almost anywhere in the playoff standings, but they’d prefer to sit somewhere among the top four.
[listicle id=50281]