FOXBORO — The Patriots face a test Sunday that could dictate how the second half of the 2026 season is going to go.
The 5-3 Packers [are coming](https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/11/04/a-j-brown-among-7-patriots-missing-at-wednesday-practice-before-packers-game/) to Gillette Stadium to face the 5-3 Patriots. If the Patriots can win Sunday, that gives them a better chance when they face the Lions in Week 10 and the Bills, Vikings, Chiefs and Broncos coming out of the bye week.
“This is a big game for us,” safety Kevin Byard said Wednesday. “This is a huge game. I mean, to be real, we haven’t beat an NFC team just yet. This is going to be a huge challenge for us as a team. I almost want to say a measuring-stick game.
“Because both of these teams are 5-3. Both of these teams are trying to keep pace with the other teams in the division. Us being Buffalo, and obviously the NFC North is really good this year. So I think both coaches are preaching the same thing. This is — I’m not gonna call it a must-win — but we need to get this win at home, and we’ve been really good at home at Gillette, so we got to keep that going.”
After a slow start to the season that saw the Patriots begin 1-2, they’ve strung together four wins over the last five weeks. Their most impressive victory came in Week 4 against the Bills, but wins over the Raiders, Jets and Dolphins [were more expected](https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/11/01/best-and-worst-what-we-learned-from-patriots-24-19-win-over-dolphins/).
The Patriots dropped their last difficult matchup in Week 7 to the Bears on the road.
“It’s a playoff team from last year,” quarterback Drake Maye said. “A playoff team with a great defense, a really good offense, a good quarterback. Then, for us, it’s another NFC North opponent that’s been someone that we don’t play very often, but has been historically, in the past couple years, a playoff football team. They’re good, they’ve beaten good teams, and they continue to show up every year. We’ve definitely got a challenge and a chance to see how we look.”
The Patriots have faced two NFC teams so far: the Bears and the Seahawks, who beat the Pats Week 1 in the NFL season opener.
The Packers have an excellent passing attack and passing defense, which should challenge Byard and Maye. They struggle to move the ball on the ground.