Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)AP
The Patriots were idle on Sunday but they got themselves a little closer to the top of the NFL Draft with a little help from an old friend.
Former New England quarterback Mac Jones earned his first win as the starter for the Jaguars. Their win over the Titans lifted Jacksonville out of the top spot and into the six-team logjam of teams at 3-10.
Right now, the Patriots’ biggest asset is their schedule, currently the weakest among teams in the mix for high picks. It’s what separates New England from the parade of other teams with a matching 3-8. There’s enough of a cushion there, that if they don’t win another game this season they’re unlikely to pick lower than third. If either the Raiders of the Giants win another game, the Patriots’ SOS would vault them into a higher pick too.
Projected Draft order
The Sunday night and Monday night games won’t affect early picks. So here’s what the top of the projected draft order looks like. Included is each team’s strength of schedule from after the early games (the aggregate winning percentage of a team’s opponents compiled by Tankathon) so far. The team who played the schedule with the lowest winning percentage would be awarded the higher pick:
- Raiders — 2-11. (SOS .535) – lost to Buccaneers
- Giants — 2-11 (SOS .546) — lost to Saints
- Patriots — 3-10 (SOS .463) idle
- Panthers — 3-10 (SOS .484) lost to Eagles
- Jaguars — 3-10 (SOS .491) beat the Titans
- Titans — 3-10 (SOS .514) lost to Jaguars
- Jets — 3-10 (SOS .518) lost to Dolphins
- Browns — 3-10 (SOS .523) lost to Steelers
The rest of the tie-breakers look like this:
From NFL.com — In situations where teams finished the previous season with identical records, the determination of draft position is decided by:
- Strength of schedule
- Division or conference tiebreakers :
- Head-to-head, if applicable
- Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games (minimum of four)
- Strength of victory in all games
- Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games
- Best net points in all games
- Best net touchdowns in all games
- Coin toss
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