Media Is Overreacting, Patriots Will Make Playoffs Despite Schedule originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A year removed from being nicknamed "The Schedule," the New England Patriots received the third-hardest 2026 slate of any team in the NFL.
To say head coach Mike Vrabel is going to have his work cut out for him in his second season with the team may be the understatement of the century, but have we forgotten that this is the same team that didn't lose a game for three months last season?
Perhaps the Super Bowl loss has left a bad taste in the mouths of NFL fans. It is shocking how quickly people forgot about second-year quarterback Drake Maye playing the position better than nearly every future Hall of Famer scattered around the league.
Moreover, New England has only gotten better since coming up short in Super Bowl LX.
So I figured I would take a stab at these record predictions that seem to be everywhere.
Week 1 at Seahawks: Loss
(I went back and forth on this one more than any other; don't be surprised when New England pulls it off.)
Week 2 vs. Steelers: Win
Week 3 at Jaguars: Win
Week 4 at Bills: Loss
Week 5 vs. Raiders: Win
Week 6 vs. Jets: Win
Week 7 at Bears: Win
Week 8 at Dolphins: Win
Week 9 vs. Packers: Loss
Week 10 at Lions (in Germany): Loss
Week 11: Bye
Week 12 at Chargers: Win
Week 13 vs. Bills: Loss
Week 14 vs. Vikings: Win
Week 15 at Chiefs: Loss
Week 16 at Jets: Win
Week 17 vs. Broncos: Win
Week 18 vs. Dolphins: Win
Shocking, I know, another 11-6 prediction. The Patriots have a couple of very tough road draws, but when I look at how New England's roster construction holds up against teams like the Bears, the Jaguars and the Chargers, I feel confident.
When Milton Williams was healthy, there wasn't a team in the league that could run on the Patriots. If Vrabel can shut down Bears head coach Ben Johnson's run game, I like Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis's odds against Rome Odunze and Luther Burden.
Nobody is stopping Drake Maye, A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, regardless of how bad New England's PR is right now.
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