Whether Patriots fans wanted Broncos kicker Will Lutz to make or miss his last-second kick on Sunday against the Chiefs depends on just how scared they are of Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs.

If the Patriots fans are simply rooting for the highest seed possible, then Lutz’s game-winning kick was a bad thing. If Denver had lost, New England would have ended Week 11 with the best record in the AFC (9-2), a half game ahead of idle Indianapolis (8-2).

And that would certainly be a good thing.

But a Kansas City win would have kept the underachieving Chiefs closer to a playoff spot. As of now, KC is three games behind Denver in the AFC West, so if they make the playoffs, it’s probably as a wild card.

If the Patriots get the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, they’d be hosting a wild-card team in the

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