Beating the Denver Broncos was the best and worst thing that could have happened to the New England Patriots.
On one hand, they got their fourth win of the season and potentially made it more difficult for owner Robert Kraft to fire coach Bill Belichick. But on the other hand, they played themselves out of the No. 2 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft.
If the season ended today, the Patriots would pick at No. 4.
That number could worsen with the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets still left on their regular season schedule.