""Those of you who thought that the Patriots were imposters because they had a really easy schedule... Well, you'll be happy to know New England's schedule is out and it's not pretty. It'll be tough. If they get back to the Super Bowl, nobody's gonna complain about the schedule," Patrick said. "New England has a first-place schedule and there's no favors here, no shortcuts...""
"They also had to win two playoff games to reach the Super Bowl, something that people seemed to ignore. Nothing he said here is incorrect. The Patriots will have a much tougher schedule in 2026 with games against the Bears, Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Lions, Packers, and Seahawks. Patrick also mentioned that the Patriots' road schedule is an absolute gauntlet, and it's hard to argue with that, considering they'll play on the road against the Bears, Bills, Chargers, Chiefs, Jaguars, Lions, and Seahawks."
The New England Patriots reached the Super Bowl in 2025 but faced criticism that their schedule was unusually easy. The 2026 regular-season slate includes significantly stronger opponents such as the Bears, Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Lions, Packers and Seahawks. The road schedule will be particularly difficult, featuring away games at the Bears, Bills, Chargers, Chiefs, Jaguars, Lions and Seahawks. The tougher schedule removes claims of favorable matchups and creates a clear proving ground for the roster and coaching staff. The Patriots still needed two playoff wins to reach the 2025 Super Bowl, and the 2026 slate could result in another deep run or missing the playoffs.
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