The New England Patriots are having such a special season that having to take time off probably feels like quite the bummer.
But the Pats won't be playing in Week 14. They've got their bye week, the latest in the season it can come. It'll allow them to rest up and recover for the stretch run.
That doesn't mean the Week 14 action is insignificant to New England, though. There's plenty to root for and against.
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What Patriots need to happen in Week 14
The Patriots enter the week at 11-2 as the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
There are a few games to keep an eye on.
The most notable is Broncos-Raiders -- Pats fans should be rooting for the Raiders to pull an upset. Denver enters the day at 10-2 and would equal New England's record atop the AFC with a victory.
The next is Bills-Bengals. That's a game to root for Cincinnati. If the Bills lose, New England can clinch the AFC East in Week 15 when it takes on Buffalo.
Also keep an eye on Jaguars-Colts. Those teams are both 8-4, so there really isn't a particular rooting interest. But one will stay in the picture toward the top of the league.
The Sunday Night Football game is also notable, Texans-Chiefs. No AFC team wants to see the Chiefs in the playoffs, and at 6-6, Kansas City can't really afford to lose. Houston is 7-5, so it's a huge game at the back end of the conference.
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