Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots were always going to have a harder schedule in the 2026 NFL season than last year. But Patriots fans saw just how difficult the 2026 slate is going to be laid out for the first time Thursday night.
The Patriots will face three defending division winners in the first threw weeks of the 2026 campaign. Then in Week 4, they will face the Buffalo Bills.
In response to the scheduling start to the season for New England, CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell called the Patriots “losers” of the NFL scheduling release. Podell used some incredible factoids to support his argument.
“New England’s 2026 squad will become the first since the 2019 Miami Dolphins to open a season with three consecutive games against division winners from the previous season, per CBS Sports Research,” wrote Podell. “Two of the three division winners New England will face will be on the road.”
The first four weeks of the 2026 season will be, at least on paper, the hardest first month to a campaign for an NFL team in 40 years.
“That gives New England the hardest Weeks 1-4 strength of schedule entering a season since the 1986 Philadelphia Eagles, per CBS Sports Research,” wrote Podell. “All four games are against 10-win teams from 2025, and three of the four are road games against teams with at least 12 wins last season.”
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