The New England Patriots might not have much to play for when they take the field against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but that isn't stopping David Andrews' desire to compete.

The Patriots will play their first game with their playoff hopes officially gone in Week 15 after being officially eliminated from postseason contention last Sunday. As New England missed out on the playoffs for the earliest time in a season since 2000, Andrews isn't worried that he and his teammates will relax the rest of the season, especially considering who they're facing on Sunday.

“Everyone is understanding that we’ve got a great opportunity, right?” Andrews told reporters on Thursday. “Obviously the season hasn’t gone the way any of us wanted, but we can’t go back to Week 3, we can’t go back to Week whatever and change whatever happened. We’ve got these four more guaranteed opportunities and we’ve got one this Sunday. Try to take advantage of that one, rinse and repeat it, then go out to Denver, go to Buffalo, and finish off the year strong.

“I appreciate the way the whole team, the staff, everybody has come to work each day and competed. Like I said, it hasn’t gone the way that we wanted it to, but the only thing we can control is these next four weeks.”

Sitting at 3-10, the 2023 season certainly hasn't been a pretty one for the Patriots. New England has been miserable offensively this year, getting shutout twice and scoring six or fewer points in a game three other times. The Patriots rank last in scoring as a result, pairing that with the 28th-best total offense in the league.

Still, New England is remaining positive and upbeat as the season enters the homestretch. Andrews isn't alone in feeling that way.

Ezekiel Elliott still motivated for Patriots' final games

Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott in the foreground.

Elliott shared something an old coach of his told him when asked how he's remaining upbeat and ready to go on Wednesday.

“I’ve had a coach tell me that we play a kid’s game [for a] king’s ransom,” Elliott said. “Things could be a lot worse. I could be in a way worse situation. At least I’m getting to play the game I love, the game I’ve loved for most of my life. So any time I get to go out and play football I’m excited. How could you not be?”

Things could technically be worse for the Patriots, too. They were able to snap their five-game losing streak last Thursday, ending a bleak stretch of football. While they face the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs on Sunday, the Patriots get them at a good time as they've lost their last two games.