The 2026 NFL preseason slate was announced on Wednesday afternoon. The New England Patriots will get one national television game as well as a chance to play three opponents before the start of the regular season. NFL.comâs Ian Rapoport reported this.
The Patriots will play nationally against the Cleveland Browns on August 27. The game will be televised on Prime Video and will kick off at 8 PM ET.
The rest of the preseason schedule includes the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles. The Patriots will take on the Colts on August 13 at 7:30 PM ET. The Eagles game will take place on August 22 at 7:00 PM ET.
The Colts and Eagles contests are in line with the news that broke on Tuesday . Coach Mike Vrabel revealed that the Patriots were scheduled to host joint practices with the Colts and Eagles during the course of the preseason. This will be the second time in three seasons that the Patriots have practiced and played with the Eagles during the preseason.
Patriots Have Intriguing Slate of Preseason Games
This is certainly an interesting slate of preseason games. The Patriots and Colts do not have a long preseason history. They have played each other only twice over the course of the preseason. The only other time they played was in 1992 during the Dick MacPherson era. This is certainly a contrast to the regular season and playoffs, as the two franchises have a storied history and big moments with each other.
In the meantime, the Patriots and Eagles are preseason veterans. They have faced each other 25 times, most recently doing so and that 2024 contest. The Eagles narrowly defeated the Patriots 14-13. The Patriots have had recent success against the Eagles in the preseason, shutting out their opponents 35-0 when the two teams met at Lincoln Financial Field in 2021. Â The Patriots hold a 13-12 edge over the Eagles in the preseason series.
Patriots Will Have Chance To Test New-Look Offense
This will be a chance for the patriots to solidify both sides of the football, as well as get some work in with the new -look offense. The team will have a chance to see how new acquisitions Romeo Doubs and A. J. Brown book and game -like action. This will also give the defensive side of the football a chance to get their feet under it, as defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr enters his second season with that title.
These games could be important, as they will give the Patriots a fairly good idea of where they stand against solid competition. Patriots enter the 2026 season having the sixth-hardest schedule in the NFL. This will certainly be a step up from 2025, when they had the easiest schedule in the NFL. Regardless of schedule rankings and opponents, the Patriots will certainly get good work in against quality teams.
Itâs hard to believe the Patriots are already looking towards preseason schedules and the end of summer workouts. Next will be training camp, and a chance for the Patriots to prepare for these games. In any event, itâs music to the ears of football fans everywhere.
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