:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71765066/usa_today_19614778.0.jpg "NFL playoff picture: What does Patriots-Raiders mean for AFC playoff standings")
The New England Patriots will head west this afternoon for an AFC showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders at 4:05 p.m. ET on Fox. It's a student vs. teacher matchup with Josh McDaniels facing Bill Belichick and the Raiders enter this game as a 2.5-point favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Both teams are fighting to stay alive in the AFC playoff picture and we'll go over the playoff implications for both squads below.
Patriots playoff picture
At 7-6, New England would be the seventh and final seed in the AFC postseason bracket if the playoffs began today. The Patriots currently hold tiebreaker advantages over both the Jets and Chargers heading into Week 15.
They are technically still in the mix to win the AFC East but a loss/tie today would eliminate them from division title contention.
Raiders playoff picture
At 5-8, Las Vegas' playoff hopes are technically still alive, but on life support. The Raiders will officially be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss and a Jets win/tie today.
Tiebreaker implications
The conference record tiebreaker is what's giving the Patriots an advantage over the Chargers. New England is 5-3 in that category while Los Angeles is 5-4. The Pats can continue to help their case by beating AFC opponents.