Nick Wright Pencils Patriots Into AFC Title Game In New Tier List

The conversation has evolved from whether the New England Patriots will make the playoffs to how far they can go. Nick Wright foreshadowed a lengthy postseason run.

Before the Patriots host the New York Jets in Week 11, Wright broke down the NFL hierarchy into tiers on Tuesday’s “First Things First.” The Fox Sports analyst listed 27 teams before placing New England in a two-team “Doorstop to Destiny” tier alongside the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Wright said. “… We are staring down the pike at a Pats-Chiefs AFC Championship Game in New England.”

Wright then placed the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles in a higher tier before declaring the Seattle Seahawks “the best team in football.”

The Patriots haven’t reached the AFC Championship Game since Tom Brady defeated a young Patrick Mahomes in a 37-31 overtime win at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 20, 2019. Mahomes has steered Kansas City to conference titles in five of the last six seasons, but New England currently has a smoother path to the Super Bowl.

The Patriots can expand their seven-game winning streak against the 2-7 Jets on “Thursday Night Football,” and they’ll play two more vulnerable opponents in the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants before their Week 13 bye. Three more victories would keep them in control of the AFC East before their rematch with the Buffalo Bills.

Meanwhile, the 5-4 Chiefs must catch the 8-2 Denver Broncos and 7-3 Los Angeles Chargers to secure their 10th straight AFC West title. They wouldn’t make the playoffs based on the current standings.

ESPN’s Football Power Index still gives Kansas City a 30.4 percent probability of reaching the AFC Championship Game. The Patriots have climbed to 23.1 percent, also trailing the Indianapolis Colts (38.7%), Bills and Broncos (25.2% each).