Lets Dive into this Schedule.

[Kid~Brady]

Not sure about you but this is no slouch of a shift this season. The Patriots will be challenged continously and tested weekly.

Saints, Falcons, Bronocs, Texans (In Texas) will be the toughest outs in my opinion. Texas and Denver back-to-back games also. Then we also have the Ravens, Bengals (sleeper) and Steelers. I wouldn't sleep on Cam Newton either but we should win that game easily.

What's your initial thoughts? Any "blatent" loses? Whats the toughest game?


2013 PATRIOTS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE

Sunday, Sept. 8 at Buffalo Bills 1:00 p.m. ET CBS
Thursday, Sept. 12 New York Jets 8:25 p.m. ET NFL Network
Sunday, Sept. 22 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1:00 p.m. ET FOX
Sunday, Sept 29 at Atlanta Falcons 8:30 p.m. ET NBC
Sunday, Oct. 6 at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 p.m. ET CBS
Sunday, Oct. 13 New Orleans Saints 4:25 p.m. ET FOX
Sunday, Oct. 20 at New York Jets 1:00 p.m. ET CBS
Sunday, Oct. 27 Miami Dolphins 1:00 p.m. ET CBS
Sunday, Nov. 3 Pittsburgh Steelers 4:25 p.m. ET CBS
Sunday, Nov. 10 BYE WEEK
Monday, Nov. 18 at Carolina Panthers 8:40 p.m. ET ESPN
Sunday, Nov. 24 Denver Broncos 8:30 p.m. ET NBC*
Sunday, Dec. 1 at Houston Texans 4:25 p.m. ET CBS*
Sunday, Dec. 8 Cleveland Browns 1:00 p.m. ET CBS*
Sunday, Dec. 15 at Miami Dolphins 1:00 p.m. ET CBS*
Sunday, Dec. 22 at Baltimore Ravens 8:30 p.m. ET NBC*
Sunday, Dec. 29 Buffalo Bills 1:00 p.m. ET CBS*

 

[BSR]

I think the games that are toss ups at this point are:

Falcons
Broncos
Ravens

I think the games where the Patriots should win but an upset could easily happen

Bengals
Saints
Texans

I think the rest are games the Patriots should win but hey anything can happen.

I think the number of games in those first two categories should make for a pretty challenging season. I'm gonna say 12-4/13-3

 

[sb1]

As I said before this is a vicious schedule, especially the road schedule. I look at road opponents and don't see one game I'd bet the house on as a Patriots win. Assuming the Pats make the playoffs nobody is going to accuse them of benefitting from an easy schedule this year.

The defense will be tested way more than they have in recent years IMO. Not only are they stepping up in weight class in the number of top QB's faced, they will also face a number of offensive tandems and weapons that can do things that have given the defense fits in recent years.

The meat grinder is the 3 game set @Atl, @Cin and vs Saints. @Car, Denver, @Hou isn't a walk in the park either. They better bring their A game every week.

10-6 against this schedule is a good season, IMO.

 

[BSR]

As I said before this is a vicious schedule, especially the road schedule. I look at road opponents and don't see one game I'd bet the house on as a Patriots win. Assuming the Pats make the playoffs nobody is going to accuse them of benefitting from an easy schedule this year.

The defense will be tested way more than they have in recent years IMO. Not only are they stepping up in weight class in the number of top QB's faced, they will also face a number of offensive tandems and weapons that can do things that have given the defense fits in recent years.

The meat grinder is the 3 game set @Atl, @Cin and vs Saints. @Car, Denver, @Hou isn't a walk in the park either. They better bring their A game every week.

10-6 against this schedule is a good season, IMO.

The road games at Bills and Pathers are about as good locks as any you can get this time of year.

Personally I think 10-6 is too low baring injuries to key players.

 

[Rusty Coupe]

If the Saints game was in New Orleans, I would favor N.O., but it's not, and while they are still a good team, I think the Pats win.

In the remains to be seen category, I have no idea what Miami will be this season. The Browns(and the Bears) are my sleeper teams for '13, the 12/8 game vs. Cleve might be tough.

 

[sb1]

The road games at Bills and Pathers are about as good locks as any you can get this time of year.

Personally I think 10-6 is too low baring injuries to key players.

I wouldn't put the game in Buffalo as a lock at all. The Bills in recent years have been really good at home in September no matter how bad they turn out to be. They have a new offense, new QB, a healthy defense, and they'll be amped up for their home opener as will their crowd.

I think the Panthers might surprise this year. The Pats should be favored there and I think they will win, but I don't think it's a "safe" win either...

 

[sb1]

If the Saints game was in New Orleans, I would favor N.O., but it's not, and while they are still a good team, I think the Pats win.

In the remains to be seen category, I have no idea what Miami will be this season. The Browns(and the Bears) are my sleeper teams for '13, the 12/8 game vs. Cleve might be tough.

My concern about the Saints (and most of this schedule) isn't so much the Pats O vs their D - the Saints D had issues last year... it's the other side of the ball. Our defense with all these new guys and question marks vs a high octane offense. We'll find out soon if they're ready to step up in weight class.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Wasn't there a stat that showed Dree Brees outdoors wasn't that great?

Besides, I see Brady carving that pathetic defense up at home for 38-42 points, not too worried about that game.

 

[Rusty Coupe]

My concern about the Saints (and most of this schedule) isn't so much the Pats O vs their D - the Saints D had issues last year... it's the other side of the ball. Our defense with all these new guys and question marks vs a high octane offense. We'll find out soon if they're ready to step up in weight class.

As long as Wilfork anchors the middle of the line the run D in the middle should be good. Whether or not Collins makes a difference covering across the middle remains to be seen. I don't think all the secondaries problems in coverage happen in a vacuum, part of it seems to be them reading the keys from the LB.

 

[Kid~Brady]

Wasn't there a stat that showed Dree Brees outdoors wasn't that great?

Besides, I see Brady carving that pathetic defense up at home for 38-42 points, not too worried about that game.

Brees is always good, doesn't matter.

I remember watching that game 2 years ago where they were in San Fran. They lost but he put up like 4-5 TDs and a ton of yards.

 

[chasa]

I'm going to be a little pessimistic here and put the pats down for an 11-5 season, winning the afc east, but not getting a bye.

 

[Sicilian]

I'd say the toughest game will be Atlanta, since they're the best team we play on the road. Close second would be at Baltimore, but I want to see how that team responds to the loss of their defensive leaders. Plus it's later in the year when I feel like the Patriots will be at their best.

Outside of those two, all their toughest matchups are at home (Denver, Pittsburgh, New Orleans) where I think the Pats can beat anybody.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

A simple fact to keep in mind: The Patriots' "A" game wins essentially 100% of the time, no matter what their opponents do.

Just think about it for a moment: how often do you see the Pats lose and actually think, "There was NO WAY they could have won that game"?

 

[The Boston Patriot]

Lesseenow. Six wins in the division and a split of the remaining games is: 11-5. I'll go with that.

 

[SVN]

The road games at Bills and Pathers are about as good locks as any you can get this time of year.

Personally I think 10-6 is too low baring injuries to key players.

Buffalo is not a lock by any stretch. Opening day and a tough place to play and lot of unknown quantity to face with and they have lot of good skill players with great speed. Reading some camp reports, manuel has looked good and he certainly impressed in the preseason. I see the opening game as not such a lock.

 

[Sivy]

A simple fact to keep in mind: The Patriots' "A" game wins essentially 100% of the time, no matter what their opponents do.

Just think about it for a moment: how often do you see the Pats lose and actually think, "There was NO WAY they could have won that game"?

That's what I'm saying. Even their D game still has a decent chance until the last second tics. Like the 31 point comeback tie against SF.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

If Gronk AND Hernandez were on the team all 16 games and healthy,I would have put this team at a 12-4,it might take awhile before Gronk is fully healthy and Hernandez is behind bars.

I don't see this WR corps as something to fear...too much youth and mistakes will be expected throughout the season,this might be Brady's biggest challenge in his career,he'll have to have an unbelievable productive year to score as many points and passing yards as in the recent past.

The defense will be better..it can't be worse in allowing pass completions like last year and sacks should be more of a weekly occurance as I see Hightower becoming a 10 sack guy and Jones getting more relaxed in his position.

As far as the schedule,I see a 3-5 record on the road and a 5-1 record at home....this is a brutal schedule

I see a team in the east in Miami finally begin to show signs of making this division competitive,I see both New England and Miami finishing at 10-6 with the Pats winning a tiebreaker and again winning the division sending Miami to the wildcard round.....a reversal of the 2008 season.

 

[jah]

I think 11-5 with losses to Buffalo, Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Baltimore (although all those games are winnable). Bengals, Saints, Steelers will be tough too.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

Buffalo? New defensive scheme with nearly the same players that bombed out last year, not a formula for instant success, especially since their best D player -Byrd - hasn't showed up yet and probably won't until a few days before the first game. And a new, maybe rookie, QB running the offense? In my book the Bills will be lucky not to get destroyed.

 

[Bruins29]

I will gladly take a 10-6 record with a healthy team. That will win the division and even if its the wild card, I will take the healthy team over a bye any day.