Mark Cannizzaro

Mark Cannizzaro

NFL

Patriots keep finding way into playoffs

You don’t like them. You’re jealous of their quarterback. You detest their head coach.

But if you are of reasonable mind and truly appreciate team sports, you cannot help but respect the sustained success of the Patriots, whose annual commitment to excellence should make the late Raiders owner Al Davis shiver with envy from his grave.

Their quarterback, Tom Brady, is one of the winningest players at his position in NFL history and, oh yes, he also is married to a supermodel. Their head coach, Bill Belichick, smiles as often as the Jets win the Super Bowl and the Rangers win the Stanley Cup, has been caught cheating and intentionally exudes a dislikable public image.

You are sick of seeing the Patriots win all the time.

As the Patriots play their regular-season finale Sunday at home against the Bills, they do so already having secured their fifth consecutive AFC East title. As usual, they have had the division wrapped up, it seems, since shortly after teams broke training camp in late summer.

Since 2001, Belichick’s second year in New England, the Patriots are going to the playoffs for the 11th time in the last 13 years. The only two times in that span they failed to qualify for the postseason, they finished 9-7 in 2002 and 11-5 in 2008 with Brady out for the year with a knee injury.

So the beat goes on for the Patriots, where whenever doubt creeps into their facility doors — whether it’s their most dangerous offensive weapon jailed on murder charges or because of a rash of injuries — they quietly escort doubt out the door and go about their business.

With a more flashy team such as the Broncos having a great season, few are talking about the Patriots as a serious Super Bowl threat. Yet who would be surprised if they are not one of the Super Bowl teams playing at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 2 and practicing in the archrival Jets’ training facility?

Brady has had so many injury problems with his receiving corps, it’s a wonder he’s not throwing passes to the grounds crew, because sometimes it seems as if that’s all who’s left for him.

Statistically, Brady’s numbers are off this year — but just slightly. He’s used to being among the top two or three ranked passers in the league. This season, there are 16 quarterbacks with a higher rating than his 88.0. But he still has managed to throw 24 touchdown passes and just 10 interceptions while throwing 604 times — the fourth-most attempts in the NFL.

Fourteen different players have caught passes from Brady this season. Of Brady’s two all-world tight ends, Aaron Hernandez is doing hard time on murder charges and Rob Gronkowski played seven games because of injuries.

There is not one dominant running back behind Brady, either. Stevan Ridley is ranked 23rd in the league in rushing and LeGarrette Blount is 32nd.

The New England defense is hardly a force, either, ranked 25th overall, including 29th against the run.

Yet the 11-4 Patriots can clinch their eighth first-round bye in 14 seasons with a win over the Bills. A loss and they might be forced to play a wildcard game and lose the bye week.

There are several different playoff scenarios that can unfold for the Patriots Sunday. They can finish in any of the top four spots in the AFC, with only the first two getting byes.

  • They can earn the No. 1 overall seed and home-field throughout the playoffs is they beat the Bills and Denver (12-3) loses to Oakland.
  • They would be the No. 2 seed if they win or tie and Denver wins, or if they lose and Cincinnati (10-5) and Indianapolis (10-5) lose or tie.
  • They would be the No. 3 seed if they lose, Cincinnati wins and Indianapolis loses.
  • They would be the No. 4 seed if they lose and Cincinnati and Indianapolis win.

It is possible the Patriots might already have clinched a bye by the time their 4:25 p.m. game kicks off. If Baltimore beats or ties Cincinnati and Jacksonville beats or ties Indianapolis in 1 p.m. games, the Patriots can finish no worse than the No. 2 seed.

“[The players] know that if we win, we’re into the second round of the playoffs,’’ Belichick said Friday. “If we don’t win, we’re most likely playing in the first round of the playoffs and that’s really all there is to know.’’

One of the Patriots’ secrets — other than the fact they have one of the best quarterbacks of all time playing for one of the best coaches of all time — is they do not panic when times are tough and they do not take anything for granted when they’re riding high. Both of those traits come from Belichick.

“We’re not even thinking about the bye or not having the bye,’’ Patriots defensive end Andre Carter told New England reporters this week. “We can’t overlook the present. Right now, our focus is Buffalo and only Buffalo.”

Those words were pulled directly from the Belichick book of coaching clichés — but, if followed, that attitude is a productive one. Like him or not, the Belichick way works.