Patriots’ Playoff Chances Plummet on Absurd Lateral vs. Raiders

New England did major damage to their playoff hopes on Sunday afternoon after brutal final play.

NBC’s Steve Kornacki joined Football Night in America on Sunday night ahead of the Commanders-Giants game on Sunday Night Football and called the Patriots his biggest loser of the week.

Entering Sunday, the Patriots had a 42% chance to make the playoffs, according to Kornacki. However, following the absurd lateral play that cost them the game against the Raiders on Sunday, Kornacki pegged the Pats’ chances of making the playoffs at 22%.

“They’re the biggest loser of the day when it comes to the AFC wild card,” Kornacki exclaimed after handicapping New England’s playoff chances.

With the game tied at 24 with three seconds to play, Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson broke loose on a draw play, but instead of going to the ground and sending the game to overtime, he decided to lateral to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

Meyers then took the ball and inexplicably tried to throw it back across the field to quarterback Mac Jones. Raiders pass rusher Chandler Jones stepped in front and snagged the lateral attempt, stiff-armed New England’s QB and took it back 44 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

The inexcusable decision making could end up knocking the Patriots out of the playoffs. They face Cincinnati next week.