After a mediocre second year in the league, the Patriots are fighting for their playoff lives. A slow start to the season resulted in a hole that the Pats had to dig out of. Rumor has it that the players were going on vacation from Tuesday through Saturday on any given week, and were showing up hungover to the games on Sunday.

However, the Pats seem to have turned it around and are in the thick of it at 8-6, tied with the New York Jets. The Jets, who went 1-1 against the Patriots this season (a sim win), are hoping the Pats falter within their last two games so that they can get in themselves.

It has been a season full of ups and downs, but the Pats are hoping to sneak into the playoffs where the old mantra "Any Given Sunday" applies. Teams across the league are hoping the Jets take that coveted AFC east divisional spot so that they can avoid an away game versus a 10-6 team.

On a side note, there are rumblings of some rule changes in the offseason. The commissioner's office has been getting a lot of grief for a division winner automatically getting a home game. The point that there is a scheduled event in week 17 where coaches around the AFC will boycott the idea of flying to Foxboro for a wildcard weekend game. Whether or not this will result in any changes is to be seen.

Looking forward to the finale of the season, tune into the final weeks to find out how it all shakes out. Good luck to the SPC, and on to the playoffs!