Anyone else tired of all the talk about how easy the Patriots schedule was last year and this year is brutal?

[Rob0729]

Ok, the narrative about how easy the Patriots schedule was last year and the overrating of how hard the schedule this year is to push the narrative that the Pats will go from 14-3 and in the Super Bowl to possibly a losing record and out of the playoffs is a little out of control.

Yes, the schedule was easy last year and the pounded on a lot of easy teams. The Broncos schedule wasn't much harder last year and they had eight one score wins and have an infinitely tougher schedule this year. Yet no one is talking about their schedule or even how teams that win a lot of one score games one year historically have a huge downfall the next. The Bills had a very similar schedule last year and arguably have a harder schedule this year. Yet, I don't hear anything about their schedule either.

The Pats still beat the Texans and Chargers in the playoffs and both rather handily. And now many people have both those teams winning their divisions while having the Pats missing the playoffs. The Broncos game was too flukey to really speak to it.

The funny thing is if the Pats went 9-8 last year and barely missed the playoffs, I bet a lot of people who are writing them off as a team due for a massive decline would have them as this year's hot take choice to make the playoffs and possibly do a lot of damage in the playoffs. I think people are actually more down on them for being far more successful than expected.

As for this year's schedule, it is tough, but it isn't even in the top 5 toughest schedules according to preseason SoS. I think people are overrating some of the teams on the Patriots schedule too. Jacksonville had a good run in the second half of last year, but that was in part because of their cupcake schedule (Arizona, Titans twice, the depleted Colts twice, Jets). People just assume that the Chiefs are going to be good, but they weren't good last year even before Mahomes was injured. People expect Detroit to rebound, but that is in part of they have the easiest SoS right now. Pittsburgh is likely to decline.

 

[PatsFan2]

Ok, the narrative about how easy the Patriots schedule was last year and the overrating of how hard the schedule this year is to push the narrative that the Pats will go from 14-3 and in the Super Bowl to possibly a losing record and out of the playoffs is a little out of control.

Yes, the schedule was easy last year and the pounded on a lot of easy teams. The Broncos schedule wasn't much harder last year and they had eight one score wins and have an infinitely tougher schedule this year. Yet no one is talking about their schedule or even how teams that win a lot of one score games one year historically have a huge downfall the next. The Bills had a very similar schedule last year and arguably have a harder schedule this year. Yet, I don't hear anything about their schedule either.

The Pats still beat the Texans and Chargers in the playoffs and both rather handily. And now many people have both those teams winning their divisions while having the Pats missing the playoffs. The Broncos game was too flukey to really speak to it.

The funny thing is if the Pats went 9-8 last year and barely missed the playoffs, I bet a lot of people who are writing them off as a team due for a massive decline would have them as this year's dark horse choice to make the playoffs and possibly do a lot of damage in the playoffs. I think people are actually more down on them for being far more successful than expected.

As for this year's schedule, it is tough, but it isn't even in the top 5 toughest schedules according to preseason SoS. I think people are overrating some of the teams on the Patriots schedule too. Jacksonville had a good run in the second half of last year, but that was in part because of their cupcake schedule (Arizona, Titans twice, the depleted Colts twice, Jets). People just assume that the Chiefs are going to be good, but they weren't good last year even before Mahomes was injured. People expect Detroit to rebound, but that is in part of they have the easiest SoS right now. Pittsburgh is likely to decline.

The Pats Defense Beat those Teams: aided by horrific QB plays. The Offense and Maye Struggled throughout.

 

[Brady85-23]

We're on to Seattle

 

[Rob0729]

The Pats Defense Beat those Teams: aided by horrific QB plays. The Offense and Maye Struggled throughout.

Sure, but that was probably because Will Campbell was not in condition to be starting and Maye was under unusual pressure. And Maye's shoulder was probably already injured. Plus, Maye was actually very good in the second half of the Texans game. He just was bad in the first half.

And the Pats won. It doesn't matter how bad the offense played.

 

[AQPE]

It’s an “I told you so” setup, a “safe” one since no one being honest can really deny it. As I say so often here this is a game played by certain people who want to be viewed as having special insight trying to explain things they don’t understand.

 

[Bill Lee]

I agree. Regardless of the opponent, you still had to execute your own offense, defense and STs at a high level to go 14-3. The other team gets paid too. And you did it after going 4-13 the season before. A lot of positive things had to happen to turn that around.

 

[upstater1]

The truly weird thing is that they're discounting the Patriots for the weak schedule last year, but they're not coming at the Bills for the same exact thing. The difference between the Bills and Patriots schedule was only 3 games. The Patriots were 1-2 in those games. In fact, one could easily argue they'd have gone 2-1 if the schedules were flipped between the 2 teams since one of the teams the Bills played (but the Patriots didn't) was Houston, who the Patriots absolutely disassembled in the playoffs. But even if the Patriots had gone 0-3 instead of 2-1, they still win the AFCE. They'd have been 13-4 at that point!

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

They beat the #7,4, & 1 seeds in the playoffs!

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The easy schedule is no lie, but that talk should have gone out the window the minute we beat up lac and Houston. other than Seattle what team looked better than us in last year’s playoffs where the stakes are highest and there are no easy schedules? Hard to find one.

Its hilarious what an incredible year both Drake and the patriots had last year yet people only want to look extra hard for the negative and ways to discredit them.

 

[Steve102]

 

[XLIX]

"Anyone else tired of all the talk about how easy the Patriots schedule was last year and this year is brutal?"

 

[sb1]

This year’s schedule is harder than 2025 but it isn’t that brutal.

The Jete and Phins absolutely suck and we get them 4x this year. Also get a weak division winner (Pitt) at home, Seahawks in week 1 which honestly is a perfect time to play them and two of the toughest games Denver and GB are at home. Chargers will be tough. KC in Arrowhead but if we beat Buffalo in Buffalo last year no reason to think that game is unwinnable either.

I see a lot of parallels to 2002. That schedule was a lot harder than this one imo. Though I expect a lot more from AJB than Donald Hayes lol

 

[Rob0729]

This year’s schedule is harder than 2025 but it isn’t that brutal.

The Jete and Phins absolutely suck and we get them 4x this year. Also get a weak division winner (Pitt) at home, Seahawks in week 1 which honestly is a perfect time to play them and two of the toughest games Denver and GB are at home. Chargers will be tough. KC in Arrowhead but if we beat Buffalo in Buffalo last year no reason to think that game is unwinnable either.

I see a lot of parallels to 2002. That schedule was a lot harder than this one imo. Though I expect a lot more from AJB than Donald Hayes lol

The difference between this year and 2002 is the Pats acquired a lot of older over-the-hill players in 2001 who played really well, but were really on their last legs. A lot of them just weren't the same in 2002.

I see a lot of similarities of the 2002 Patriots with last year's Commanders.

 

[patfanken]

The schedule narrative is just that... a narrative. A story line that easy to follow for lazy writers who need to say something about the Pats. The only thing that ticks me off is the idea of a "regression". If they Pats "only" win 12 or 13 games this season, they can pound their chests and say, "see I told you, they regressed." The only thing that would satisfy them would be another 14 win seaaon, and wouldn't be realistic for any team.

For example, the regular season record of the 3 straight Superbowl appearances, were 14-12 and 13. Pretty much EVERYONE "regresses" from a 14-win season, so why do they keep harping on the "Patriots projected regression" all the time

 

[Triumph]

I get a kick out of all the experts claiming that NE plays a 1st place schedule this year.

Only 3 games (17.67%) are affected by the previous seasons final record. The other 14 games (82.33%) were already predetermined years in advance. 6 games inter division and 8 games so that every NFL team plays each other home and away.

 

[Ring 6]

Ok, the narrative about how easy the Patriots schedule was last year and the overrating of how hard the schedule this year is to push the narrative that the Pats will go from 14-3 and in the Super Bowl to possibly a losing record and out of the playoffs is a little out of control.

Yes, the schedule was easy last year and the pounded on a lot of easy teams. The Broncos schedule wasn't much harder last year and they had eight one score wins and have an infinitely tougher schedule this year. Yet no one is talking about their schedule or even how teams that win a lot of one score games one year historically have a huge downfall the next. The Bills had a very similar schedule last year and arguably have a harder schedule this year. Yet, I don't hear anything about their schedule either.

The Pats still beat the Texans and Chargers in the playoffs and both rather handily. And now many people have both those teams winning their divisions while having the Pats missing the playoffs. The Broncos game was too flukey to really speak to it.

The funny thing is if the Pats went 9-8 last year and barely missed the playoffs, I bet a lot of people who are writing them off as a team due for a massive decline would have them as this year's hot take choice to make the playoffs and possibly do a lot of damage in the playoffs. I think people are actually more down on them for being far more successful than expected.

As for this year's schedule, it is tough, but it isn't even in the top 5 toughest schedules according to preseason SoS. I think people are overrating some of the teams on the Patriots schedule too. Jacksonville had a good run in the second half of last year, but that was in part because of their cupcake schedule (Arizona, Titans twice, the depleted Colts twice, Jets). People just assume that the Chiefs are going to be good, but they weren't good last year even before Mahomes was injured. People expect Detroit to rebound, but that is in part of they have the easiest SoS right now. Pittsburgh is likely to decline.

After the first 3 games of a new leadership team, we won 16 of 17. We won 9 of those by double digits.
We scored 28.5 points and allowed 16.5 points per game in those 17.
That is a force, not a team that won because of its schedule.

 

[TheRainMaker]

The 2025 team is more hated than the 2001 team. The 2001 team was a feel good story after 9/11, but that wore off and the media wanted Pittsburgh or Oakland to represent the AFC. Nobody wanted the Pats to knock off the Rams who were the most dominant team starting in 1999 into the early 2000's. The media was all ready to talk about the Rams dynasty.

The 2025 Pats weren't taken seriously when the Chargers were missing both of their starting T's, Houston was missing their best WR and Trent Brown and were given a massive advantage after Nix pulled a Gramatica on the last play of the game. They were so wounded at OL that they absolutely would've lost had Nix played or if Buffalo came to NE. The way they played in the Super Bowl enabled the media to trash NE as pretenders.

Fast forward to this season, the media really wants Josh Allen in the Super Bowl and will continue to blindly pick them just because. Herbert is also a media favorite as well. They wouldn't mind Burrow or Mahomes getting their teams back on track. Lamar Jackson seems to be losing steam.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Everyone has a favorite narrative. Of course, it's ridiculous for supposed reporters to root for the matchups they "want to see," but they really get paid to be fans who get way into what people say (and sometimes even what people on the teams they cover say.) To say "the media wants" x, y, and z seems silly to me. Different mediots say different things. Sometimes they were all over the 1970s Grogan Pats as the team that really woulda coulda shoulda won. Doesn't make a difference (especially when, well, Ben Dreith.)

(Musical break: Ben Dreith's phantom roughing the passer call)
Sugar Bear Hamilton
My name is Sugar Bear Hamilton
And there's million things I haven't done
And that was one
/musical break

Don't really care who didn't take us seriously because this or that player's dog ate their homework. If, for example, Tom Brady got knocked out of the AFC Championship game... oh that's right. Bad example. But if we lost a key player, including Maye, that wouldn't be a reason for me to talk about how we would have won if it didn't happen. It would just be a sad piece of information about how we didn't win. Maybe it would be worth a song parody, that's it though.

It's time for the games to begin. I'm as worried about depth as anybody, as jazzed about our WR room, as psyched about the new guys, etc. I don't know how we'll look this year, but I think we take the division.

Funny about that -- it would be defending our AFCE championship. And they'd call it a huge upset.

Eh well... play ball!

 

[Brady85-23]

Everyone has a favorite narrative. Of course, it's ridiculous for supposed reporters to root for the matchups they "want to see," but they really get paid to be fans who get way into what people say (and sometimes even what people on the teams they cover say.) To say "the media wants" x, y, and z seems silly to me. Different mediots say different things. Sometimes they were all over the 1970s Grogan Pats as the team that really woulda coulda shoulda won. Doesn't make a difference (especially when, well, Ben Dreith.)

(Musical break: Ben Dreith's phantom roughing the passer call)
Sugar Bear Hamilton
My name is Sugar Bear Hamilton
And there's million things I haven't done
And that was one
/musical break

Don't really care who didn't take us seriously because this or that player's dog ate their homework. If, for example, Tom Brady got knocked out of the AFC Championship game... oh that's right. Bad example. But if we lost a key player, including Maye, that wouldn't be a reason for me to talk about how we would have won if it didn't happen. It would just be a sad piece of information about how we didn't win. Maybe it would be worth a song parody, that's it though.

It's time for the games to begin. I'm as worried about depth as anybody, as jazzed about our WR room, as psyched about the new guys, etc. I don't know how we'll look this year, but I think we take the division.

Funny about that -- it would be defending our AFCE championship. And they'd call it a huge upset.

Eh well... play ball!

Hey i think I remember you posting during games on patriots.com

 

[JoeSixPat]

The schedule narrative is just that... a narrative. A story line that easy to follow for lazy writers who need to say something about the Pats. The only thing that ticks me off is the idea of a "regression". If they Pats "only" win 12 or 13 games this season, they can pound their chests and say, "see I told you, they regressed." The only thing that would satisfy them would be another 14 win seaaon, and wouldn't be realistic for any team.

For example, the regular season record of the 3 straight Superbowl appearances, were 14-12 and 13. Pretty much EVERYONE "regresses" from a 14-win season, so why do they keep harping on the "Patriots projected regression" all the time

Well, the Las Vegas line this year is 9.5 wins

And while I don't really see any unwinnable games on the schedule, that's probably not that far off, as I think 11 wins and making the playoffs is very doable, if not probable, for this team, which, despite the depth concern, should be a stronger team this year.

Interestingly, despite being a 4-win team in 2024, the Pats' over/under was still 8.5 games last year (no doubt padded by the notion of playing the Jets and Fins twice.)

We of course get to play those teams this year and any loss to an AFC East Team is going to hurt us given the improved caliber of competition, so those games are critical. The good news to me is that we have September to tune up to win those critical division games starting in October.

Any wins in September are gravy too but I expect this team in particular to be very far from peaking. We shouldn't be expecting a 3-0 start, but rather a strong and healthy finish (especially given depth concerns.)

No doubt we exceed 8.5 wins in a big way last year so no reason to think we won't be in the Over this year too - but all that really matters is making the playoffs and peaking then, home-field advantage irregardless.