The NFL schedule was released on Thursday night, and one NFL writer has predicted that the New England Patriots will finish below .500.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton predicted the Patriots would go 8-9, and his reasoning could be seen as foolish by Patriots fans. However, his first reason was not something new.
"NFL teams can only play the opponents on the schedule," wrote Moton. "That said, we can't ignore the fact that the New England Patriots had a favorable 17-game slate. In 2026, the Patriots will play a first-place schedule. They'll face the NFC North, a division that had three playoff teams last year, and the AFC West. New England won't have the schedule breaks it had in the previous season."
The Patriots have been hearing criticism about their schedule for quite some time now. They put some of that to bed in the playoffs, but some still point to Bo Nix's injury as the sole reason for the Patriots reaching the Super Bowl. Regardless, they have a very talented team that took care of business against bad teams and did enough to win against good teams. Many experts will point to a tougher schedule as a reason to write the Patriots off, so Moton is not special. However, it was not his only reason for thinking the Patriots would go 8-9.
"Quarterback Drake Maye could have an upgraded receiver room, but with the current pass-catching group, the Patriots have a pedestrian aerial attack. New acquisition Romeo Doubs hasn't recorded more than 59 receptions in a single season. Also, lead skipper Mike Vrabel is getting counseling for a 'personal and private matter' that could impact his coaching, especially if he's away from the team for short periods during the season."
Calling out the passing attack may be the only valid point Moton made, but he failed to recognize that Doubs' lack of receptions stems from the philosophy of the offense he came from. The Green Bay Packers offense under Matt LaFleur liked to spread the wealth, but now Doubs will get the opportunity to work as a top option. Additionally, the passing attack is expected to add A.J. Brown. That would make the talented Doubs the Patriots' No. 2 receiver. Overall, the receiving corps could be better than it was on last year's AFC-winning squad.
Finally, Moton pointed to the scandal surrounding Vrabel and Dianna Russini. Vrabel has already noted his commitment to being the best version of himself for the Patriots as well as his family. He missed Day 3 of the NFL Draft, but all indications are that he is committed to helping the Patriots win. The organization has had his back as well.
Quarterback Drake Maye has also noted that he does not think the scandal will be a distraction. The scandal's impact on the team throughout the season may be getting blown out of proportion.
While it's true the Patriots have a tougher schedule, it is foolish to think they will go from being a playoff team to a sub-.500 team is healthy. The Patriots have a proven head coach, an MVP-caliber quarterback and made impactful moves in the offseason.
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