The New England Patriots are gunning for their first win streak of the season this Sunday, trying to hit 3-2 on the year after beating the Bills last week when they host the Las Vegas Raiders. But even as they focus on their own game, the rest of the NFL landscape for Week 5 has some wild suggestions for who to root for across the league, including one that might make you spill your coffee, Seattle.
Get Ready, 12s: We’re on the “Good Guys” List!
Hold onto your jerseys, Emerald City, because in a twist of fate, the Patriots’ own rooting guide for Week 5 has *our* Seattle Seahawks (3-1) as a team to cheer for! We’re playing the undefeated San Francisco 49ers (4-0) this Sunday, and believe it or not, a Seahawks win is good for the Patriots’ strength of schedule. Can you believe it? A rival fan base actively hoping we take down the Niners. Hey, we’ll take the good vibes and the extra support any way we can get it when we face those guys. Let’s make ’em proud, Hawks!
Strategic Wins: Draft Picks, Strength of Schedule, and Playoff Foes
Beyond our Hawks, the Patriots have a whole spreadsheet of teams they’re hoping pull out a win to help their own cause. It’s all about playing the long game with draft picks and playoff positioning, even in early October.
They want the Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) because the Jags hold a head-to-head advantage over the Patriots. A loss for Jacksonville against an NFC team? Absolutely welcome.
For a boost in their strength of schedule and to push a sixth-round draft pick closer to the top, the Patriots are rooting for the Minnesota Vikings (4-0) over the New Orleans Saints (1-3). Similarly, a win by the Detroit Lions (2-2) against the Arizona Cardinals (1-3) is also for strength of schedule reasons, especially since the Patriots are set to play the Lions in Munich next month.
Then there are the games where they’re hoping for an upset from the league’s struggling teams. They want the Miami Dolphins (0-4) to beat the Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) and the New York Jets (1-3) to beat the Cleveland Browns (3-1). Why? Because the Dolphins are considered one of the worst teams, unlikely to make any playoff noise, and beating a potential direct playoff competitor like the Bengals makes sense. Same scenario for the Jets over the Browns. It’s all about eliminating potential threats! They even want the Chargers (0-4) to win against the Broncos (2-2), just because it means a worse-ranked AFC West team takes down a better one. Finally, they’re rooting for the Titans (0-4) over the Texans (0-4) because Houston’s sixth-round pick belongs to the Patriots, so a Texans loss is good news for that draft capital.
Some Games Just Don’t Move the Needle
Not every game on the Week 5 slate holds significant weight for the Patriots. The Chicago Bears (3-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (2-2) matchup, for example, is just a “good game” from their perspective. Draft picks aren’t a factor here, and both teams are on the Patriots’ schedule anyway. Same goes for the New York Giants (3-1) vs. Washington Commanders (1-3) all-NFC East battle: it matters little to them. For the Colts (2-2) vs. Steelers (2-2) game, someone has to win, so they’re going with the Steelers, who they know have a head-to-head disadvantage against them in the playoff picture. Strategic, right?
So, this Sunday, while the Patriots are hoping to beat the Raiders and get to 3-2, the broader NFL picture is already shaping up with some wild alliances. Let’s do our part and give those 49ers a game they won’t forget. Go Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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