Patriots 2026-27 Off Season

[Vermont Green]

If you assume that the Pats have AJ Brown or Diggs, then 10 wins seems to be what most are predicting.  I feel like everyone is over-compensating for last season's easy schedule.  They still made it to the Superbowl.  They were better than a lot of teams, beat some of them in the playoffs, and I think will be better this season than last.  I would go over 10 wins.

To me, the sleeper or wild card is Vera-Tucker.  The OL with a healthy Vera-Tucker at LG should be a vast improvement.  I see improvement at Center with Wilson moving over to his natural position.  And I think Campbell will be better; playing next to a vet vs. playing next to an out of position rookie should help a lot.  Onwenu and Morgan Moses should both be solid.  And we have some decent depth.  Big question is if Vera-Tucker can stay on the field.

Maye was sacked 47 times, an average of nearly 3 per game.  He ran away from a number of additional sacks.  The receiver room is looking to be improved, and that is important, but to me, better OL play is the real key.  If you are better able to establish some run game, then it is easier to pass protect.  Better pass protection, more accurate QB play.  Better receivers, more plays that turn into big plays.  But to me, it all starts with improving the OL, which I think it will be.

[byennie]

If you assume that the Pats have AJ Brown or Diggs, then 10 wins seems to be what most are predicting.  I feel like everyone is over-compensating for last season's easy schedule.  They still made it to the Superbowl.  They were better than a lot of teams, beat some of them in the playoffs, and I think will be better this season than last.  I would go over 10 wins.

To me, the sleeper or wild card is Vera-Tucker.  The OL with a healthy Vera-Tucker at LG should be a vast improvement.  I see improvement at Center with Wilson moving over to his natural position.  And I think Campbell will be better; playing next to a vet vs. playing next to an out of position rookie should help a lot.  Onwenu and Morgan Moses should both be solid.  And we have some decent depth.  Big question is if Vera-Tucker can stay on the field.

Maye was sacked 47 times, an average of nearly 3 per game.  He ran away from a number of additional sacks.  The receiver room is looking to be improved, and that is important, but to me, better OL play is the real key.  If you are better able to establish some run game, then it is easier to pass protect.  Better pass protection, more accurate QB play.  Better receivers, more plays that turn into big plays.  But to me, it all starts with improving the OL, which I think it will be.

Anything can go sideways and prevent another 14 wins, but I'm with you. The easy schedule stuff gets ridiculous at some point. OK, replace the Jets with another 10 win team and suddenly we have an "average" schedule and 13-14 wins? Give us a mulligan on opening weekend with like 10 new starters (loss to Las Vegas), and 1 fewer mistakes against Buffalo and we'd have been 16-1.

Don't get me wrong, this team isn't a shoe-in contender yet, but we were [dang] good overall last year and it wasn't just schedule.

[Moranis]

The Pats schedule is significantly harder this year.  Sure the 3 other games matter, but it is much more about going from the AFC North and more importantly the NFC South to the AFC West and NFC North.  Of those 16 games there is an argument that 7 of the 9 hardest games are 7 of the teams they will play this year.  And the other 3 games went from the Giants, Titans, and Raiders to Seahawks, Jaguars, and Steelers. 

Schedule matters in the NFL so much and the Pats have a SIGNFICANTLY increased difficulty of their schedule (at least on paper before any games are played). 

[Neurotic Guy]

The Pats schedule is significantly harder this year.  Sure the 3 other games matter, but it is much more about going from the AFC North and more importantly the NFC South to the AFC West and NFC North.  Of those 16 games there is an argument that 7 of the 9 hardest games are 7 of the teams they will play this year.  And the other 3 games went from the Giants, Titans, and Raiders to Seahawks, Jaguars, and Steelers. 

Schedule matters in the NFL so much and the Pats have a SIGNFICANTLY increased difficulty of their schedule (at least on paper before any games are played).

It?s obviously going to be a tougher schedule, but also true in the NFL that every year there are teams that exceed expectations and teams that don?t live up to them. It isn?t always because of injuries but no doubt injuries will take a toll on some of the teams the Pats will face. And injuries may also take their toll on the Pats.

[Vermont Green]

The Pats schedule is significantly harder this year.  Sure the 3 other games matter, but it is much more about going from the AFC North and more importantly the NFC South to the AFC West and NFC North.  Of those 16 games there is an argument that 7 of the 9 hardest games are 7 of the teams they will play this year.  And the other 3 games went from the Giants, Titans, and Raiders to Seahawks, Jaguars, and Steelers. 

Schedule matters in the NFL so much and the Pats have a SIGNFICANTLY increased difficulty of their schedule (at least on paper before any games are played).

It?s obviously going to be a tougher schedule, but also true in the NFL that every year there are teams that exceed expectations and teams that don't live up to them. It isn't always because of injuries but no doubt injuries will take a toll on some of the teams the Pats will face. And injuries may also take their toll on the Pats.

I guess my point is that between the regular season and the playoffs, the Pats beat good teams last season.  They beat a lot of bad teams too.  And I see the Pats as being better this season, not worse.  The Pats beat good teams last season and will beat good teams this season.

The Pats regular season losses last season were Vegas, PIT, and BUF.  Then they lost to SEA in the Superbowl of course.  They beat BUF, DEN, LAC, and HOU, among others.  In between, they took care of business against some mediocre and bad teams.

The schedule is harder and the Pats won't win as many games.  But teams like JAX, DET, GB, CHI don't scare me.  I see the Pats as right there with them or better.  I expect them to win their share of these games.  They have to take care of business in the easy games too, and they will be fine.