Patriots announce 2017 preseason opponents

[Dexter]

Week 1: vs. Jaguars (8/10-14)

Week 2: at Texans (8/17-21)

Week 3: at Lions (8/24-27)

Week 4: vs. Giants (8/31-9/1)

 

[PatsGuy]

Week 1: vs. Jaguars (8/10-14)

Week 2: at Texans (8/17-21)

Week 3: at Lions (8/24-27)

Week 4: vs. Giants (8/31-9/1)

Playing the Giants makes total logistic sense.

 

[Wheelman]

NFL releases 2017 preseason schedule

 

[Tunescribe]

Why can't we ever get the damn third preseason game at home?

 

[jmt57]

Slightly surprised that the Patriots will play two in-conference teams. Typically you want to attempt to schedule preseason games against teams you won't play as far in the future as possible. The Pats will play the AFC North next year.

Philadelphia is a team that would seem to make sense as a preseason opponent. The Pats won't play the Eagles again until 2019 and logistically they are one of the closest training camps, from Foxborough to Philadelphia.



Also somewhat surprising that the defending Superbowl champions are not part of a single national preseason telecast. Maybe it is an attempt to build up the anticipation for the regular season opener, who knows.

 

[XLIX]

Slightly surprised that the Patriots will play two in-conference teams. Typically you want to attempt to schedule preseason games against teams you won't play as far in the future as possible. The Pats will play the AFC North next year.

Philadelphia is a team that would seem to make sense as a preseason opponent. The Pats won't play the Eagles again until 2019 and logistically they are one of the closest training camps, from Foxborough to Philadelphia.



Also somewhat surprising that the defending Superbowl champions are not part of a single national preseason telecast. Maybe it is an attempt to build up the anticipation for the regular season opener, who knows.

I agree on all counts. Maybe the Texans and Patriots requested it? I know teams can put in requests for the preseason....

 

[varjao]

Interesting that Jaguars and Texans will have the opportunity to take a good look on JimmyG still early in the pre season in time to make a bold move.

I think there will be joint practices too.

 

[PatsFans.com Article]

Patriots announce 2017 preseason opponents

John Morgan

Today the New England Patriots announced their four 2017 preseason opponents, and which weeks the Pats will be facing those teams. The specific time and dates will be revealed at a later date. Typically the NFL publishes that information prior to the leag

Continue reading...

(If you enjoyed this entry - hit the Thumbs Up/If not, hit the Thumbs down in this thread)

 

[PatsBoy12]

Interesting that Jaguars and Texans will have the opportunity to take a good look on JimmyG still early in the pre season in time to make a bold move.

I think there will be joint practices too.

I haven't heard anything about the Jaguars shopping for a QB. Did I miss something? Are they unhappy with Bortles?

 

[varjao]

I haven't heard anything about the Jaguars shopping for a QB. Did I miss something? Are they unhappy with Bortles?

Oh they should.

From a cost benefit perspective sticking with Bortles makes sense but they are not going anywhere with him, and now that Coughlin is the new Sheriff in town we don't know what his plans are, he certainly is not willing to go through a long rebuild since he's already 107 years old.

 

[jmt57]

Why can't we ever get the damn third preseason game at home?

Correct, you are not imagining this trend.

In the last seven years the Pats will have now played just a single preseason week three home game.

2017: at Detroit
2016: at Carolina
2015: at Carolina
2014: home vs Carolina
2013: at Detroit
2012: at Tampa
2011: at Detroit
2010: home vs St Louis
2009: at Washington
2008: home vs Philadelphia
2007: at Carolina
2006: home vs Washington
2005: at Green Bay
2004: at Carolina
2003: at Philadelphia
2002: home vs Carolina
2001: at Tampa
2000: home vs Tampa
1999: at Tampa

There was a time where that game alternated somewhat regularly (other than '04) between home and away, which would be as expected. That is not the case any longer.

Perhaps other owners have been lobbying to get that third game played at home, in order to somewhat appease their fans that have to pay full price for an exhibition game?

 

[TB_Helmet]

Correct, you are not imagining this trend.

In the last seven years the Pats will have now played just a single preseason week three home game.

2017: at Detroit
2016: at Carolina
2015: at Carolina
2014: home vs Carolina
2013: at Detroit
2012: at Tampa
2011: at Detroit
2010: home vs St Louis
2009: at Washington
2008: home vs Philadelphia
2007: at Carolina
2006: home vs Washington
2005: at Green Bay
2004: at Carolina
2003: at Philadelphia
2002: home vs Carolina
2001: at Tampa
2000: home vs Tampa
1999: at Tampa

There was a time where that game alternated somewhat regularly (other than '04) between home and away, which would be as expected. That is not the case any longer.

Perhaps other owners have been lobbying to get that third game played at home, in order to somewhat appease their fans that have to pay full price for an exhibition game?

Why have we played Detroit and Carolina so often? Weird.

 

[Tunescribe]

Correct, you are not imagining this trend.

In the last seven years the Pats will have now played just a single preseason week three home game.

2017: at Detroit
2016: at Carolina
2015: at Carolina
2014: home vs Carolina
2013: at Detroit
2012: at Tampa
2011: at Detroit
2010: home vs St Louis
2009: at Washington
2008: home vs Philadelphia
2007: at Carolina
2006: home vs Washington
2005: at Green Bay
2004: at Carolina
2003: at Philadelphia
2002: home vs Carolina
2001: at Tampa
2000: home vs Tampa
1999: at Tampa

There was a time where that game alternated somewhat regularly (other than '04) between home and away, which would be as expected. That is not the case any longer.

Perhaps other owners have been lobbying to get that third game played at home, in order to somewhat appease their fans that have to pay full price for an exhibition game?

Thanks for the research confirming my complaint. Another point is that nobody wants to shlep to that fourth preseason game, especially this year when it means even less with the regular-season opener seven days later.

 

[Patjew]

The annual Pats vs NYG preseason game is always good for my PTSD.

 

[Tunescribe]

The annual Pats vs NYG preseason game is always good for my PTSD.

Is that from an incident in China? By the way, will the Chinese make the North Koreans behave?

 

[jmt57]

Why have we played Detroit and Carolina so often? Weird.

I presume the preference is for an AFC team such as the Patriots to play NFC teams. You are only going to face them once every four years. By the time they play each other again in a regular season game the rosters will have changed quite a bit, making any player intel minimal. I guess the week four game doesn't really count since the starters play so minimally, if at all.

Also that data above was only for preseason week three games. Overall since Bill Belichick became the head coach, there is somewhat of a correlation (other than Bucs and Saints) between distance and number of times the Pats have played against a team in the preseason (through 2016):

Games - Team - Distance
15 --- Giants --- 141
8 ---- Eagles --- 204
8 --- Panthers -- 594
7 --- Redskins -- 311
7 -- Buccaneers - 994
5 --- Saints --- 1151 *
3 ---- Lions ---- 519
3 --- Bengals --- 620
2 ---- Bears ---- 725
2 --- Packers --- 744
2 --- Falcons --- 783
2 --- Jaguars --- 850
1 --- Ravens ---- 282
1 ---- Titans ---- 791
1 ---- Rams ----- 881
1 --- Cardinals --- 1,980

* Saints have also trained in Virginia, which would lower that distance.

The only NFC teams the Pats have not played in preseason since 2000 are Seattle, Minnesota and Dallas. They did play SF once, but that was in Canton.

The Pats have never played any AFC East or AFC West teams, which makes sense. This will be the first time they play the Texans. They have also never played the Browns, Steelers or Colts; no shocker their either. On the other hand I am surprised to see the Pats played Baltimore back in 2008. Not sure how or why it came to be that the Rams and Cardinals ever played the Patriots in preseason.

Patriots announce 2017 preseason opponents - PatsFans.com

 

[Patjew]

Is that from an incident in China? By the way, will the Chinese make the North Koreans behave?

It's from an incident in Arizona. And then one in Indianapolis. (Insert frowny face here)

I really doubt it. China will just keep talking out of both sides of its mouth and picking on little guys.

 

[FrodoBagginz]

Waiting for the inevitable ESPN article claiming the Pats have the easiest preseason schedule...

 

[Tunescribe]

It's from an incident in Arizona. And then one in Indianapolis. (Insert frowny face here)

I suffer from the same trauma double-whammy ... giants gathering to steal my happiness.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Is that from an incident in China? By the way, will the Chinese make the North Koreans behave?

I for one hold Patjew personally responsible for ensuring this.