Games against top/tough teams:
Jets (*2)
Steelers
Colts
Giants
Chiefs
Chargers
Eagles
Who knows with the Cowboys....
With the Chargers, Giants, Chiefs and Colts at home, and Pittsburgh being a team the Patriots have handled with Brady of late, that's a pretty good help with the schedule, but the Eagles have loaded up (and that game is on a short week for the Patriots following a Monday night game), the Chargers game is off a short week, and the Patriots have been splitting with the Jets under Ryan. I could certainly see why some people would be nervous about the number.
I'd take the over, though. I expect more than 11 wins from this team. There's a 6 game stretch that has the potential to be brutal (Steelers/Giants/Jets/Chiefs/Eagles/Colts), but the rest of the schedule seems to fall very nicely aside from the issue of the shortened week against the Chargers, and the Patriots do at least get the bye the week before playing the Steelers.