Patriots 2026-2027 Season

[Vermont Green]

Last season, a lot went right for the Pats, including the schedule.  Injuries are so huge in the NFL.  No team makes the Superbowl without some level of a lot of things going right.  This season, probably some less things will go right for the Pats.  It is already the case with AJ Brown getting injured.  But every team the Pats play every week will be dealing with something.  Maybe they catch a team when a key player is hurt and out or not 100%.  Every week, that is part of the equation.

I still think this is a good team.  They will likely have ups and downs but be in the mix.  And if things come together at the right time (health and otherwise), they can make another run in the playoffs.  If things fall apart at the wrong time, they could crash and burn, just like every team (look at the Chiefs last season).

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Can?t wait for the rest of this sub-.500, nonplayoff campaign.

Im sure you said theyd suck last year too

I think I did, but they ended up with a very favorable schedule that made them look a lot better than they were. Once they faced a really good team in the SB, they could no longer hide their true colors.

Their schedule this year is much tougher, and they just lost their only game-changing WR for at least several weeks. The O-line is still shaky, and Maye is still a terrible decision maker when it comes to taking sacks/throwing the ball away/throwing the ball right at defenders. Hopefully they all improve, but they don't have nearly the same margin for error as they did last season.

They may not have been quite as excellent as their record, but the schedule thing becomes overstated at some point. They beat Buffalo, LAC, Baltimore, Houston, Denver. They were 3 plays away from being 20-0 going into the Super Bowl. Obviously that's stretching the other way, but you get what I mean.

Their schedule wasn't tough, and they had some fatal flaws that maybe got hidden, but it's really, really hard to go 17-4 in the NFL without being pretty good overall. Give them a much harder schedule and 2 more losses and they wouldn't suddenly be "better".

I'm more of a "the postseason is what really matters" guy. Last year, they had a great regular season, but then got embarrassed in the biggest game of the year?and that's my lasting impression of the season.

Sorta like the Cs of the past two years. All I care about is that they came up way short in the playoffs in back-to-back postseasons.

Which is why the regular season for either team doesn't amount to much, in my view. I'd prefer wins during the regular season, of course, it's just that those wins don't count for much besides getting them into the playoffs. A team could win 90% of its regular-season games, but it's all for naught if they don't even get to the title round.

They made the super bowl.

Yes, and they got destroyed and exposed. And as I said, that?s my lasting impression of last season. I realize that not all fans see it that way, but that?s how I see it.

But what was my original point? That they?re in for a rough season. Tougher schedule, target on their back, no Brown for a month, Henderson?s already banged up, and the O-line?s still an issue. I?m sure they?ll get better than what they showed last night, but it may not be miles better.

I think you see the glass half-full my friend. Every loss = exposed. Every win = lucky. They stink until they win the super bowl.

You're probably being hyperbolic, but I never said that every win is lucky, or that they stink unless they win the SB. Last year's team was good, better than I expected, but it wasn't as good as its record, which I think the SB made clear. This year's team -- remains to be seen. I don't think they'll be bad, but I can see them finishing 10-7, 9-8, or even 8-9.

[Ilikesports17]

Can?t wait for the rest of this sub-.500, nonplayoff campaign.

Im sure you said theyd suck last year too

I think I did, but they ended up with a very favorable schedule that made them look a lot better than they were. Once they faced a really good team in the SB, they could no longer hide their true colors.

Their schedule this year is much tougher, and they just lost their only game-changing WR for at least several weeks. The O-line is still shaky, and Maye is still a terrible decision maker when it comes to taking sacks/throwing the ball away/throwing the ball right at defenders. Hopefully they all improve, but they don't have nearly the same margin for error as they did last season.

They may not have been quite as excellent as their record, but the schedule thing becomes overstated at some point. They beat Buffalo, LAC, Baltimore, Houston, Denver. They were 3 plays away from being 20-0 going into the Super Bowl. Obviously that's stretching the other way, but you get what I mean.

Their schedule wasn't tough, and they had some fatal flaws that maybe got hidden, but it's really, really hard to go 17-4 in the NFL without being pretty good overall. Give them a much harder schedule and 2 more losses and they wouldn't suddenly be "better".

I'm more of a "the postseason is what really matters" guy. Last year, they had a great regular season, but then got embarrassed in the biggest game of the year?and that's my lasting impression of the season.

Sorta like the Cs of the past two years. All I care about is that they came up way short in the playoffs in back-to-back postseasons.

Which is why the regular season for either team doesn't amount to much, in my view. I'd prefer wins during the regular season, of course, it's just that those wins don't count for much besides getting them into the playoffs. A team could win 90% of its regular-season games, but it's all for naught if they don't even get to the title round.

They made the super bowl.

Yes, and they got destroyed and exposed. And as I said, that?s my lasting impression of last season. I realize that not all fans see it that way, but that?s how I see it.

But what was my original point? That they?re in for a rough season. Tougher schedule, target on their back, no Brown for a month, Henderson?s already banged up, and the O-line?s still an issue. I?m sure they?ll get better than what they showed last night, but it may not be miles better.

I think you see the glass half-full my friend. Every loss = exposed. Every win = lucky. They stink until they win the super bowl.

You're probably being hyperbolic, but I never said that every win is lucky, or that they stink unless they win the SB. Last year's team was good, better than I expected, but it wasn't as good as its record, which I think the SB made clear. This year's team -- remains to be seen. I don't think they'll be bad, but I can see them finishing 10-7, 9-8, or even 8-9.

Thats reasonable.

[Donoghus]

If they can head into October 2-2 or better, I'll feel alright. 

I still think this is a very good football team.  I think the manner that they lost is what's stinging right now.  If it was your regular, run of the mill, close loss on the road against the Super Bowl champs, I doubt there would be nearly as much consternation as there is now.  It's the fact that the Pats seemingly had them on the ropes and couldn't put them away then squandered away the lead plus the offensive implosion that is what is really doing right now. 

For the most part, I was happy with the defense.  It's the offense that is concerning and, now with AJ out at least 4 weeks, its just going to make things more difficult. Maye's gotta be better with his decision making and I think McDaniels' playcalling left a lot of things to be desired after Week 1. Hopefully, the long layoff before PIT will help shore some things up. I don't think the coaching staff's approach to the preseason did them any favors.

[Phantom255x]

I think even if they go 1-3, they'll still make the playoffs. I actually predicted they'd go 1-3 to begin the season, but still finish 10-7 and make the playoffs as a wild card, 5 or 6 seed.

Now obviously, Week 2 feels like a must-win, because if you fall to 0-2 with road games at Jacksonville and Buffalo looming after that, it can get ugly.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

If they can head into October 2-2 or better, I'll feel alright. 

I still think this is a very good football team.  I think the manner that they lost is what's stinging right now.  If it was your regular, run of the mill, close loss on the road against the Super Bowl champs, I doubt there would be nearly as much consternation as there is now.  It's the fact that the Pats seemingly had them on the ropes and couldn't put them away then squandered away the lead plus the offensive implosion that is what is really doing right now. 

For the most part, I was happy with the defense.  It's the offense that is concerning and, now with AJ out at least 4 weeks, its just going to make things more difficult. Maye's gotta be better with his decision making and I think McDaniels' playcalling left a lot of things to be desired after Week 1. Hopefully, the long layoff before PIT will help shore some things up. I don't think the coaching staff's approach to the preseason did them any favors.

I agree with pretty much all of this. The way the Pats of recent years approach preseason and early regular season is frustrating, kinda putting them behind the 8-ball. Brown being out is bad, and I've never been convinced that McDaniels is a great OC ? for example, he often gets too cute in the red zone. The D was good except for that one (huge) play by JSN, but the loss was really on the offense, McD and Maye in particular. And yeah, the way in which they lost was really frustrating.

[SparzWizard]

I think even if they go 1-3, they'll still make the playoffs. I actually predicted they'd go 1-3 to begin the season, but still finish 10-7 and make the playoffs as a wild card, 5 or 6 seed.

Now obviously, Week 2 feels like a must-win, because if you fall to 0-2 with road games at Jacksonville and Buffalo looming after that, it can get ugly.

Yeah Week 2 is a must-win game now. Lose that and we'll find ourselves in an 0-4 hole. Playing at humid weather in Jacksonville and then traveling to hostile stadium in Buffalo with no pass-catching offense is brutal.

Where is the old No Days Off mantra? Need to apply it to this team. These guys were all asleep during preseason

[Phantom255x]

I know there's a lot of concern that Doubs is our #1 WR. The way I see it though, it might not be a bad idea that other guys now have to step up (including Doubs) and this could serve them well for the 2nd half of the year including playoffs. Guys like Pop Douglas, Raridon, Kyle Williams, etc. will have to grow and they'll have their chances now. Remember, Boutte had talent but it's not like he was an immediate contributor when he came into the league, he needed some time on the field and then emerged as a nice option last year.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I know there's a lot of concern that Doubs is our #1 WR. The way I see it though, it might not be a bad idea that other guys now have to step up (including Doubs) and this could serve them well for the 2nd half of the year including playoffs. Guys like Pop Douglas, Raridon, Kyle Williams, etc. will have to grow and they'll have their chances now. Remember, Boutte had talent but it's not like he was an immediate contributor when he came into the league, he needed some time on the field and then emerged as a nice option last year.

That's the positive view, lol. I'm not optimistic about it -- last year's WR corps had too many No. 3/4 guys, and that's pretty much what they have this year with Brown out. I think their current best option is actually Hollins.

[Neurotic Guy]

Need to stop for a minute and ask whether it was likely that Pats would start the year off with a win in Seattle.  They lost a game they were supposed to lose. Their play was miserable but that?s game 1 with zero preseason starter reps. Seattle looked pretty bad too. They lost their QB and we lost our #1 receiver. Their backup played well. If they start off 0-4 I?ll be hanging my head, but for now it?s just a 3-point road loss against the defending champions.

[Phantom255x]

Need to stop for a minute and ask whether it was likely that Pats would start the year off with a win in Seattle.  They lost a game they were supposed to lose. Their play was miserable but that?s game 1 with zero preseason starter reps. Seattle looked pretty bad too. They lost their QB and we lost our #1 receiver. Their backup played well. If they start off 0-4 I?ll be hanging my head, but for now it?s just a 3-point road loss against the defending champions.

When the schedule came out I already had Week 1 chalked up as a loss lol. In fact I thought we'd lose by double digits. Either way, they lost to the Raiders in Week 1 last year, and beat the Burrow Bengals on the road in Week 1 in 2024. How did those seasons go?