Yes — the Patriots can still get the 1 seed, but they need to win out and get help from the Broncos’ game.

Current situation

  • The Patriots are 13-3, have clinched the AFC East, and are sitting behind the Denver Broncos in the AFC standings.
  • Denver also sits at 13-3 and currently holds the tiebreaker over New England, which is why the Patriots are not in control of the race for the 1 seed.

What has to happen for the 1 seed?

For the Patriots to get the AFC’s No. 1 seed:

  • New England must beat the Miami Dolphins in Week 18.
  • The Denver Broncos must lose to the Los Angeles Chargers.
  • Because Denver owns the tiebreaker, any scenario where both teams finish with the same record gives the 1 seed to the Broncos.

So, the formula is simple: Patriots win + Broncos loss = 1 seed.

How realistic is it?

  • Analysts note that the Patriots are “next in line” for the top seed if Denver slips, since all New England needs in that case is a home win over Miami.
  • Probabilistic models earlier in Week 17 had their 1-seed chances around one-third if they kept winning, reflecting that they are alive but clearly not favorites because Denver controls its own destiny.

In forum terms: the dream is alive, but it’s a “need help from the football gods” situation, not a “win and you’re in” scenario.

TL;DR : Can the Patriots get the 1 seed? Yes — but only if they take care of Miami and Denver gets tripped up by the Chargers.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.