The New England Patriots nearly pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history on Sunday night. Instead, they're left wondering how they couldn't finish off a San Francisco 49ers team that seemed ready to faceplant on the soggy Gillette Stadium turf.
A 31-3 deficit became a 31-31 tie and ended as a 41-34 loss for the Patriots, who saw their seven-game winning streak come to a bitter end. Now 10-4, the loss deals a damaging blow to New England's hopes of securing a first-round bye in the postseason. TheBroncos -- winners earlier Sunday in Baltimore -- leapfrog the Pats as the No. 2 seed in the conference. The Broncos will earn a first-round bye if they take care of business against the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs. TheHouston Texans pace the conference at 12-2. We don't envy the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have to host what we imagine will be a ticked off Patriots team next Sunday. New England closes at home against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17, providing a clear path to 12-4. That's a record to be proud of, but being on the wrong side of a Sunday night classic could hurt Bill Belichick's team on multiple levels.
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