2008 Opponents

[BadMoFo]

Another road trip to Indy, plus that Chargers game will be a huge one.

2008 schedule
By Mike Reiss, Globe Staff December 26, 2007 09:31 AM
With the Pittsburgh Steelers clinching the AFC North title in Week 16, that means the final piece fell into place for the 2008 New England Patriots schedule.

As part of the NFL's pre-determined scheduling formula, the Patriots already knew 11 of their 13 opponents next year. They also knew that they would play the AFC North champion at home, and the AFC South champion on the road.

So now that the Steelers have clinched the North, the final spot is filled on the 2008 schedule:

Home games
Bills
Broncos
Cardinals
Chiefs
Dolphins
Jets
Rams
Steelers

Road games
Bills
Chargers
Colts
Dolphins
49ers
Jets
Raiders
Seahawks

 

[richpats]

PROS:
Only 4 winning teams (Colts, Steelers, Seahawks, Chargers)
Denver at home
Most home games could be at 1pm

CONS:
FOUR west-coast trips (this will take a toll)
Most road games will be after 4pm
Denver on the schedule

If the Pats win it all, I don't expect the NFL to do them any favors with the west-coast games. I could see a MNF trip to Seattle preceding the Colts game.

 

[BelichickFan]

On paper that's a really nice schedule other than the 4 west coast road trips.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Thats a really weak schedule.

The hardest home team is the Steelers and then a bunch of average to below average teams.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Assuming the Patriots win out this year, which is a lot to ask, nevertheless I will be interested to see who they schedule the Patriots for in the first several games, as the longest consecutive victory streak in the History of the NFL, will still be building ...

 

[JoeSixPat]

Thats a really weak schedule.

The hardest home team is the Steelers and then a bunch of average to below average teams.

You may live to eat those words depending on scheduling.

Unless you haven't been paying attention the number of short weeks with Sunday nights and Monday nights did in fact take a toll on this team this year - they admitted so themselves.

What do you think the chances are the networks will give the Patriots LESS primetime spots next year?

Add to that a few short weeks - maybe with back to back road games - where the team is travelling back and forth to the west coast.

That doesn't strike me as a weak schedule at all.

On top of that experience tells us that one can't make too many assumptions about how a team is playing from one year to the next. There's always a few teams on top that drop down and teams on the bottom that move up.

I prefer to assume that the weakest teams will be stronger next season, if only given some bad injury luck suffered by many of those teams.

So I expect many of the matchups will be tougher than they currently appear.

 

[richpats]

Assuming the Patriots win out this year, which is a lot to ask, nevertheless I will be interested to see who they schedule the Patriots for in the first several games, as the longest consecutive victory streak in the History of the NFL, will still be building ...

I'm betting if the Pats win the SB and host the opener, Denver will be coming to town if they accept of course (Broncos declined to play in Pittsburgh in the '06 opener). Even though Denver is sucking this year, their franchise has a good history against Belichick and they have some marketable players (Walker, Bailey). Don't doubt that the media will be talking about Brady's 1-5 record all week, especially if the Pats have the streak going. Other than that the only team worthy of the opener is Pittsburgh, and I'm sure the NFL would love to save that one for later.

Definitely expect a marquee West Coast game against the Chargers or Seahawks in September.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

You may live to eat those words depending on scheduling.

Unless you haven't been paying attention the number of short weeks with Sunday nights and Monday nights did in fact take a toll on this team this year - they admitted so themselves.

What do you think the chances are the networks will give the Patriots LESS primetime spots next year?

Add to that a few short weeks - maybe with back to back road games - where the team is travelling back and forth to the west coast.

That doesn't strike me as a weak schedule at all.

On top of that experience tells us that one can't make too many assumptions about how a team is playing from one year to the next. There's always a few teams on top that drop down and teams on the bottom that move up.

I prefer to assume that the weakest teams will be stronger next season, if only given some bad injury luck suffered by many of those teams.

So I expect many of the matchups will be tougher than they currently appear.

Egh, one game at a time then.

 

[Skree]

On paper that's a really nice schedule other than the 4 west coast road trips.

Yea!!! I'll get to see the Pats at Candlestick!!

W00t!

 

[A.C Vegas]

and the Pats will show the 49ers who they could have pick mwhahahahaha

 

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

goin out to the west coast 4 times will take its toal on the team

 

[italian pat patriot]

the schedule looks not bad but the 4 west coast trip...

 

[Haterproof]

PROS:
Only 4 winning teams (Colts, Steelers, Seahawks, Chargers)
Denver at home
Most home games could be at 1pm

CONS:
FOUR west-coast trips (this will take a toll)
Most road games will be after 4pm
Denver on the schedule

If the Pats win it all, I don't expect the NFL to do them any favors with the west-coast games. I could see a MNF trip to Seattle preceding the Colts game.

A MNF trip to Seattle following the Colts game would be very difficult.I know the Pats can very well come out with wins in both games.The schedule next year isn't very difficult.Its just the 4 west coast trips I'm a little bit concerned about.If we can some how get 1 west coast game per month the Pats will dominate once again.

 

[Disco Volante]

Whatever the max amount of prime time games a team could have, we will get next year.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Could Rams be opener? Rematch Of SB XXXVI. Saints opened in Indy this year. They made NFCCG last year. Pittsburgh is really the only AFC option other than Denver. Could we play back to back west coast games and stay out there the week between games? SF and Oakland? Use Stanford facilities once there season is over?? Or, stay at the Brady's in San Mateo.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Hope none of the west coast games are on Thursday night, that would make for a really short week.....

 

[Seymour93]

Whatever the max amount of prime time games a team could have, we will get next year.

The max amount for 29 teams is five primetime games. Three teams get six primetime games. This year the three teams were the Patriots, Cowboys, and Colts.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Its going to be a rough road schedule...

at San Diego
at Seattle
at San Fran who will be improved
at Oakland- who will be better
at Indy
at Buffalo- better
at Jets
at Miami...

That is a brutal road schedule, only for the fact is 4 west coast trips..

 

[Tunescribe]

You may live to eat those words depending on scheduling.

Unless you haven't been paying attention the number of short weeks with Sunday nights and Monday nights did in fact take a toll on this team this year - they admitted so themselves.

What do you think the chances are the networks will give the Patriots LESS primetime spots next year?

Add to that a few short weeks - maybe with back to back road games - where the team is travelling back and forth to the west coast.

That doesn't strike me as a weak schedule at all.

On top of that experience tells us that one can't make too many assumptions about how a team is playing from one year to the next. There's always a few teams on top that drop down and teams on the bottom that move up.

I prefer to assume that the weakest teams will be stronger next season, if only given some bad injury luck suffered by many of those teams.

So I expect many of the matchups will be tougher than they currently appear.

I anticipate that scheduling-wise, the league will do everything it can to trip the Patriots up in the interest of "parity." That means night games, short rest, bye week early or late in the season, etc. It could be our toughest schedule ever, regardless of the opponents.

 

[dougg]

I would expect the opener to be a home game against a divisional oponent. Perhaps the Bills will play sacrificial lamb again? The West Coast trips will be a grind and likely cause a loss ot two, but who cares? This year will likely not be repeated for a LONG time, but I would expect another division title and a home playoff game next year at the least. I'm hoping that in the draft they bring home a stud running back so next season can be the year of the bulldozing running game (1-2 punch) :rocker:

Sobering to note, they haven't won anything yet this year and wouldn't be the first top seed to fall in the playoffs. This WOULD be the sweetest of all seasons though if they can keep it up for just 4 more games :singing: