The NFL playoffs began this weekend, and Logan Mankins was watching.

This is not an unusual trend, since during his long and decorated career as the mainstay of the offensive line for the New England Patriots, Mankins often had the first week of the postseason off because his team had secured a first-round bye.

The difference this time around is when the Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, Mankins will be watching that, too. His season is over, a demoralizing 2-14 campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that came to an underwhelming end amid charges of the team tanking in the final game, in which the Bucs pulled many of their starters in the second half of a 23-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints. That defeat assured Tampa Bay the No. 1 pick in the draft.

via Jackie MacMullan of ESPN Boston