It's time for the New England Patriots to panic

On Sunday one team reclaimed the top spot in the NFC, while last year's Super Bowl winner continued to spiral downward. With three weeks to go in the 2019 NFL regular season, here are five takeaways from Week 14.

1. It's time for the New England Patriots to panic

After an 8-0 start to the season, the Patriots are 2-3 in their last five games and showing no signs of life on offense. On Sunday, New England hosted an 8-4 Chiefs team and fell 23-16, which snapped the Patriots’ 21-game win streak at Gillette Stadium.

Despite facing the 20th-ranked Chiefs defense, the Pats produced just 94 yards on the ground, and quarterback Tom Brady generated 169 yards through the air. Brady completed only 52.8% of his passes and threw one touchdown and one interception for a QB rating of 36.6. His average QBR over the past four games is a measly 34.9.

Fortunately for New England the Bengals are up next on the schedule and a home slate against Miami comes in Week 17. The 9-4 Bills will visit December 21, and they already played the Pats close in Week 4.

New England's play against stiffer competition has left many skeptical of the team's potential in the playoffs and even incited boos from the home crowd at halftime Sunday. The preseason favorite to win Super Bowl LIV has dropped to +485, behind the Baltimore Ravens (+230) and San Francisco 49ers (+450).

2. The 49ers are back on top after epic Saints clash

The San Francisco 49ers already provided the NFL with its most exciting matchup in Week 13—a back-and-forth thriller in Baltimore that was decided by a field goal.

On Sunday, San Francisco played a part in another exhilarating road clash against New Orleans, which at the time had the No. 1 seed in the NFC. In a battle that featured an Emmanuel Sanders touchdown pass, a questionable fake punt attempt and another game-deciding field goal, the Niners edged past the Saints 48-46 and ascended to the No. 1 spot in the NFC and now have the second best odds to win the Super Bowl. New Orleans, on the other hand, fell to 10-3 and is the projected third seed in the playoffs.

San Francisco still has the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks left on the schedule, so expect two more edge-of-your seat showdowns featuring the Niners in the coming month.

3. Matt LaFleur, Coach of the Year candidate

The outcome of the 49ers-Saints contest had a positive impact on another NFC team, as the Green Bay Packers moved up to the projected No. 2 seed in the playoffs.

The Packers own a 10-3 record, and Sunday’s 20-15 win over Washington helped 40-year-old Matt LaFleur become the first head coach in Green Bay history to win 10 games in his first year.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin may be getting plenty of attention as a Coach of the Year candidate, but LaFleur’s ability to transform a 6-9-1 Packers team into a 10-3 squad with first-round-bye potential is worthy of consideration, too.

Sean McVay and Matt Nagy both earned Coach of the Year honors in their first seasons as head coach, in 2017 and 2018, respectively. LaFleur may just be the next first-timer in line to do so.

4. Ryan Tannehill has lifted the Titans to unexpected heights

Since he replaced Marcus Mariota at starting quarterback, Ryan Tannehill has led Tennessee on a 6-1 run and has positioned the team for a chance at the playoffs.

Ahead of the 2019 season, few pundits expected Tennessee to see the postseason and even predicted the team to finish last in the AFC South. Instead the Titans are 8-5 and get division-leading Houston twice in Week 15 and Week 17.

If Tannehill can continue to put up stellar numbers (he’s averaging a 73.4 completion percentage and has 18 total touchdowns), the Titans could sneak into the playoffs.

5. Jason Garrett’s time is up in Dallas

Jason Garrett will almost surely be out of a job with the Cowboys after this season. The head coach in Dallas for the past decade is in the final year of a five-year contract. Despite a roster loaded with talent, Dallas is 6-7 and in the midst of its second three-game losing streak. The Cowboys are 0-6 against teams with winning records and dropped the ball at the 6-6 Bears on Thursday Night Football.

The Rams, Eagles and Redskins remain on Dallas' schedule. Philly is now tied at 6-7 with the Cowboys and can claim the division lead and a playoff spot by defeating Dallas in Week 16.

Even if Dallas achieves a postseason berth, chances are Garrett can’t save himself. Unless the Cowboys win the Super Bowl. Good luck with that.

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