Now that the Patriots sit at 4-4 midway through the NFL season, judging on the rest of their schedule, the next two games are must grabs for their playoff hopes.

The first reason being, the AFC East has been the most competitive division in the NFL. The Bills (6-1) sit at the top, plus the Jets and Dolphins tie at (5-3). And after New England won an important division game against the Jets Sunday 22-17, they’ve found themselves back in the mix.

The Patriots next game is against the Colts in a home game. After that, the Pats have a bye week before facing the Jets again. If the Patriots are able to go 2-0 against the Jets on the season, they ultimately end up on top if they result with the same record. And now that the Dolphins have Tua back and putting up jail numbers, and the Bills look unstoppable, things won’t get easier.

After the Colts and Jets: the Pats have to face the Bills twice, the Cardinals, Vikings, Bengals, Dolphins again, and the Raiders. All of those matchups are going to be tough wins. Therefore, the next two games are the only matches that lean towards the Patriots’ advantage.

The Cardinals have DeAndre Hopkins back and is balling, the Bengals are beginning to look like the reigning AFC champs, the Vikings’ offense is looking lethal, and the Raiders can begin playing good football at anytime.

If executed well, the Patriots will go 6-4 and will most likely need to win at the LEAST three games. They can win against the Dolphins, slip a win over the Bengals, and beat the Raiders.

The Patriots are fully capable of pulling it off. Bill Belichick is known for getting his team playoff ready in December. And New England’s defense has been a top defense in the NFL. The Chicago Bears loss hurt the Pats a ton. Nonetheless, they now sit at .500 and still in the mix for a wild card playoff spot.