The New England Patriots improved to .500 on the season Sunday after a dominant victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The 45-0 win brings the Patriots to 6-6 and keeps their playoff hopes alive. After Sunday's action, they're still on the bubble with a 10th-place spot in the AFC standings. The one and only Steve Kornacki broke down New England's odds of sneaking into the postseason during NBC's Sunday Night Football broadcast and gave it a 21 percent chance.
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But as the Patriots win their second straight game, their first-round pick position in the 2021 NFL Draft continues to drop. They've slid down to the 16th overall selection and could fall down to No. 17 if the Baltimore Ravens lose to the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday.
Here's a look at the updated 2021 NFL Draft order for the first round, excluding teams currently in a playoff spot (via Tankathon).
- New York Jets, 0-12
- Jacksonville Jaguars, 1-11
- Cincinnati Bengals, 2-9-1
- L.A. Chargers, 3-9
- Dallas Cowboys, 3-8
- Philadelphia Eagles, 3-8-1
- Carolina Panthers, 4-8
- Atlanta Falcons, 4-8
- Miami Dolphins (via Houston Texans, 4-8)
- Denver Broncos, 4-8
- Washington Football Team, 4-7
- Detroit Lions, 5-7
- Chicago Bears, 5-7
- San Francisco 49ers, 5-6
- Arizona Cardinals, 6-6
- New England Patriots, 6-6
- Baltimore Ravens, 6-5
- Las Vegas Raiders, 7-5
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New England Patriots
Next up for the Patriots is a Thursday Night Football meeting with the Los Angeles Rams.