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Patriots playoff picture: How loss to Bears impacts AFC standings

New England saw its three-game winning streak snapped following a 30-24 defeat to Chicago on Thursday. The loss dropped the team to a 4-3 record, pushing them out of the current AFC playoff bracket and down to the ninth seed.

While they remain second in the AFC East behind Buffalo, the gap between the two division rivals has widened to 1.5 games. New England now relies on favorable outcomes in other Week 7 matchups, including the upcoming clash between Baltimore and Cincinnati, to climb back into postseason contention.

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