Examining Patriots' playoff scenarios, possible Wild Card Round opponents entering Week 18

"The 13-3 Patriots have secured the AFC East title and hold the AFC's No. 2 seed entering their Week 18 matchup against the Dolphins. However, the Patriots can still end up with the AFC's No. 1 seed, which would give them a first-round bye and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. What we do know, though, is that there are only three teams the Patriots could possibly face if they wind up playing in the Wild Card Round."

"How Patriots could get No. 1 seed: There are a couple of different ways in which the Patriots can get the No. 1 seed. The simplest is for them to win and for the Broncos to lose to the Chargers. They can also get the No. 1 seed if they win and the Broncos tie, or if the Patriots tie and the Broncos lose."

"How Patriots could get No. 2 seed: The Patriots would secure at least the No. 2 seed with a victory or a tie on Sunday. If the Broncos beat the Chargers, they'll be locked into the No. 2 spot. The Patriots would also get the No. 2 seed if they lose and the Jaguars lose or tie against the Titans. How Patriots could get No. 3 seed: The Patriots can only drop in the AFC standings if they lose and the Jaguars win on Sunday."

The 13-3 Patriots have secured the AFC East title and hold the AFC's No. 2 seed entering Week 18 against the Dolphins. The Patriots can attain the AFC's No. 1 seed through several game-result combinations, including a Patriots win plus Broncos loss, a Patriots win plus Broncos tie, or a Patriots tie plus Broncos loss. The Patriots would secure at least the No. 2 seed with a victory or a tie, and could stay No. 2 in various other outcomes. The Patriots can drop to No. 3 only if they lose and the Jaguars win. Only three teams can be Patriots Wild Card opponents: the Bills, Chargers, and Texans. The Bills are the only one of those three that the Patriots have faced this season.

Read at Boston.com