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Patriots won’t face soft schedule accusations with gauntlet in 2026
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- Patriots won’t face soft schedule accusations with gauntlet in 2026
Winning the AFC East means the Patriots will have a tougher path forward in 2026.
As Mike Vrabel’s team sits 13-3, they’ve had the NFL’s lowest strength of schedule this season (.383). After finishing fourth in the AFC East in 2024, their opponents were tailored accordingly, with the Patriots facing a number of other last place teams.
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That won’t be the case next season, as the division champs will be matched up with a number of other first place teams. New England ’s 2026 schedule looks like a gauntlet.
Here’s a look at their opponents, with a few still to be decided:
Home: Buffalo Bills , Denver Broncos , Green Bay Packers , Las Vegas Raiders , Miami Dolphins , Minnesota Vikings , New York Jets , AFC North champ ( Baltimore or Pittsburgh ).
Away:Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears , Detroit Lions , Kansas City Chiefs , Los Angeles Chargers , Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, AFC South champ ( Houston or Jacksonville ), NFC West champ ( Seattle or San Francisco ).
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In his Wednesday afternoon press conference, Drake Maye dismissed any soft schedule accusations with this year’s team.
“We play in the National Football League. Every team’s got great players. They get paid a lot of money,” Maye said. “So, it’s not like we’re playing, shoot, Foxborough High School down the road. We play who’s on our schedule. We can’t control that. Just trying to go out there and try to win. A lot of these teams that we do play are good, and they’re in the National Football League for a reason.”
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