Patriots 2025-26 Season

[Phantom255x]

Official. Patriots vs. Chargers on Sunday Night Football (NBC) next week

[Donoghus]

To go from two 4-13 seasons to 14-3 and the 2 seed with a young franchise QB and great coach established is insane! And yeah, LAC isn't going to be easy at all but it's still way more preferable than the Bills (Josh Allen) or Texans (filthy pass rush + defense)

Ravens-Steelers doesn't affect reseeding much so I think the wild card schedule might be released at some point soon or maybe halftime of SNF?

My guess. It'll either be Saturday Night or Sunday Night for NE-LAC next week.

Packers/Bears will get the Sunday night slot. Pats will get either Saturday primetime or the early Sunday afternoon slot.

Yeah makes sense. I think also they now have it where the Saturday games are played by the same conference to avoid the potential unfair situation of a conference team having 2 additional days rest while the other team plays MNF (like the Cowboys 3 years ago against the Bucs on MNF, where they played SF next who had already played Saturday).

Depends then what they do with Rams-Panthers and Texans-Steelers/Ravens. One of those is definitely MNF since it's a 4/5 matchup

I was wrong. They put GB/CHI on Saturday prime time instead. Pats gets Sunday night slot.

Rams/Panthers early Sat.

BUF/JAX & SF/PHI other Sunday games

HOU v. BAL/PIT on Monday

[Phantom255x]

To go from two 4-13 seasons to 14-3 and the 2 seed with a young franchise QB and great coach established is insane! And yeah, LAC isn't going to be easy at all but it's still way more preferable than the Bills (Josh Allen) or Texans (filthy pass rush + defense)

Ravens-Steelers doesn't affect reseeding much so I think the wild card schedule might be released at some point soon or maybe halftime of SNF?

My guess. It'll either be Saturday Night or Sunday Night for NE-LAC next week.

Packers/Bears will get the Sunday night slot. Pats will get either Saturday primetime or the early Sunday afternoon slot.

Yeah makes sense. I think also they now have it where the Saturday games are played by the same conference to avoid the potential unfair situation of a conference team having 2 additional days rest while the other team plays MNF (like the Cowboys 3 years ago against the Bucs on MNF, where they played SF next who had already played Saturday).

Depends then what they do with Rams-Panthers and Texans-Steelers/Ravens. One of those is definitely MNF since it's a 4/5 matchup

I was wrong. They put GB/CHI on Saturday prime time instead. Pats gets Sunday night slot.

Rams/Panthers early Sat.

BUF/JAX & SF/PHI other Sunday games

HOU v. BAL/PIT on Monday

I selfishly wanted Saturday lol even if it was 4:30

If they lose then we move on quick, if they win it feels awesome and we hatewatch the next two days feeling good.

Also now we're gonna be nervous ALL weekend until SNF lol 

[SparzWizard]

Might've been the first time the Pats swept the Dolphins since 2016 lol. Crazy that at one point (2020 - 2024) the Pats lost 8 of their last 9 against them.

Good to give 'em the belt again, and hopefully more in the near future.

[Redz]

They flashed a stat yesterday that the Patriots were the first team in NFL history to have the lead at halftime for 15 games in one season.  Granted they also play more games now than most of NFL history, that?s still a pretty remarkable mark of consistency.

[Phantom255x]

I know there's a lot of talk about the QB matchup, the Pats O-Line vs. Chargers pass rush, Chargers O-Line vs. Pats pass rush, etc. Underrated, I sort of think a key for the Pats is going to be the RB tandem of Henderson-Stevenson. In fact it could give them a big edge.

Obviously this is not a dynasty and it's not Brady, but it reminds me a little of how late in 2018, the Pats suffered two tough losses to the Steelers and Dolphins (Miami Miracle), then Josh Gordon got suspended again. After that, the next two games against bad teams, they sort of morphed their identity into a ground and pound offense with Sony Michel + James White, and using that to also do some more play action or even having a RB like James White catch passes out of the backfield more (or just lined up outside as a decoy). They used that to ultimately get through the postseason and win it all with the offense having a lot of success.

Henderson and Stevenson have looked awesome in recent games, particularly the last three. Both guys have also caught passes out of the backfield and at times made plays in open space. O-Line is healthy now too. Maye is the superstar QB but I could see them using the RBs a lot and in a way, shortening the game and punching the opposition in the mouth.

The Chargers have a good pass rush and some great players on defense like Derwin James and Tuipulotu, but if the Pats can run the ball and the RBs can feature in the pass game a bit, it would force the Chargers defense to hesitate. A guy like Henderson excites me, I think he has big play potential and it could show in the playoffs. And of course, it could open things up even more for guys like Henry, Boutte and Diggs deep down the field when Maye wants to take his shot.

[SparzWizard]

I know there's a lot of talk about the QB matchup, the Pats O-Line vs. Chargers pass rush, Chargers O-Line vs. Pats pass rush, etc. Underrated, I sort of think a key for the Pats is going to be the RB tandem of Henderson-Stevenson. In fact it could give them a big edge.

Obviously this is not a dynasty and it's not Brady, but it reminds me a little of how late in 2018, the Pats suffered two tough losses to the Steelers and Dolphins (Miami Miracle), then Josh Gordon got suspended again. After that, the next two games against bad teams, they sort of morphed their identity into a ground and pound offense with Sony Michel + James White, and using that to also do some more play action or even having a RB like James White catch passes out of the backfield more (or just lined up outside as a decoy). They used that to ultimately get through the postseason and win it all with the offense having a lot of success.

Henderson and Stevenson have looked awesome in recent games, particularly the last three. Both guys have also caught passes out of the backfield and at times made plays in open space. O-Line is healthy now too. Maye is the superstar QB but I could see them using the RBs a lot and in a way, shortening the game and punching the opposition in the mouth.

The Chargers have a good pass rush and some great players on defense like Derwin James and Tuipulotu, but if the Pats can run the ball and the RBs can feature in the pass game a bit, it would force the Chargers defense to hesitate. A guy like Henderson excites me, I think he has big play potential and it could show in the playoffs. And of course, it could open things up even more for guys like Henry, Boutte and Diggs deep down the field when Maye wants to take his shot.

My only concern with this squad is the lack of playoff experience. Herbert and the Chargers, and esp Jim Harbaugh, has had lots of playoff experiences. I think that might also be a factor.

Not a lot of these guys other than Stefon Diggs, Mike Vrabel, and Josh McDaniels has attended multi-year playoffs.

[Phantom255x]

I know there's a lot of talk about the QB matchup, the Pats O-Line vs. Chargers pass rush, Chargers O-Line vs. Pats pass rush, etc. Underrated, I sort of think a key for the Pats is going to be the RB tandem of Henderson-Stevenson. In fact it could give them a big edge.

Obviously this is not a dynasty and it's not Brady, but it reminds me a little of how late in 2018, the Pats suffered two tough losses to the Steelers and Dolphins (Miami Miracle), then Josh Gordon got suspended again. After that, the next two games against bad teams, they sort of morphed their identity into a ground and pound offense with Sony Michel + James White, and using that to also do some more play action or even having a RB like James White catch passes out of the backfield more (or just lined up outside as a decoy). They used that to ultimately get through the postseason and win it all with the offense having a lot of success.

Henderson and Stevenson have looked awesome in recent games, particularly the last three. Both guys have also caught passes out of the backfield and at times made plays in open space. O-Line is healthy now too. Maye is the superstar QB but I could see them using the RBs a lot and in a way, shortening the game and punching the opposition in the mouth.

The Chargers have a good pass rush and some great players on defense like Derwin James and Tuipulotu, but if the Pats can run the ball and the RBs can feature in the pass game a bit, it would force the Chargers defense to hesitate. A guy like Henderson excites me, I think he has big play potential and it could show in the playoffs. And of course, it could open things up even more for guys like Henry, Boutte and Diggs deep down the field when Maye wants to take his shot.

My only concern with this squad is the lack of playoff experience. Herbert and the Chargers, and esp Jim Harbaugh, has had lots of playoff experiences. I think that might also be a factor.

Not a lot of these guys other than Stefon Diggs, Mike Vrabel, and Josh McDaniels has attended multi-year playoffs.

Yeah completely fair. I'm just hoping that the MVP QB and the fact that this game is at home can offset some of that. I'd be more wary if this game was on the road. Yeah yeah, "undefeated on the road" and "do Chargers and their stadium even have real fans". In the playoffs it's a completely different atmosphere and I do think making LAC play in colder weather benefits NE.

I think the biggest factor of all the things, is how atrocious the Chargers' O-Line is. Herbert is awesome but if he's running around or taking hits back there consistently it'll be tough for them to win. Now if the Pats can't get to Herbert and he has all day to throw all game long, then Maye will have to go nuclear and hope they in in a bit of a shootout.