Patriots Have Hardest Opening Month Schedule Of Any Team Since 1986

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If the NFL was trying to make up for the New England Patriots’ “easy” schedule last season, they have done so effectively. CBS Sports research team revealed that the Patriots’ opening four opponents have the largest SOS of any team’s opening opponents since the 1986 Philadelphia Eagles.

“Their first four opponents have a combined strength of schedule of .721, which is the highest any team has faced in the first four weeks in 40 years,” John Breech wrote. “To make things worse, the Patriots will have to play three of their first four games on the road.”

Their opening four opponents’ win percentages go as such: Seattle Seahawks .667, Pittsburgh Steelers .667, Jacksonville Jaguars .833, Buffalo Bills .667. New England will be travelling to Seattle, Jacksonville, and Buffalo.

“The Patriots’ first three games are against teams that won their division last year, making New England the first team in six years (2019 Dolphins) to open a season with games against three straight division winners from the prior season,” Breech wrote.

On the bright side, the next two games are against the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Jets. So should New England fall behind, there’s plenty of October runway to make up some ground in the standings.

One thing’s for certain: when head coach Mike Vrabel and quarterback Drake Maye win their second consecutive AFC Conference Championship, nobody will be calling them “the schedule.”

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