Heat Check: The Patriots' 2026 schedule isn't that hard
Phil Perry, Mike Felger and Michael Holley debate the strength of the Patriots' opponents this season
Heat Check: The Patriots' 2026 schedule isn't that hard originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Video Transcript
Just tell me, is it closer to being easy or hard?
Closer to sharp.
Closer to easier.
I'm not gonna say it's easy, because you're right, there's a lot of good teams on there.
Right.
Okay.
It's not, it's not last year's schedule.
It's not even close.
It's harder than that.
But I also don't see, like, the hardest or one of the five hardest schedules in football either, because I can get to 10 wins relatively quickly.
They, they play seven teams that don't have answers at quarterbacks right now.
Seven.
Yeah.
Seven.
Okay.
Four in the division.
Okay.
Right?
Yep.
Steelers, Raiders, Vikings.
Okay.
Well, listen- Wait, wait, wait, hold on, hold on.
That's seven you should win right there- Since you're talking about it lock it in, seven wins pull up the full screen.
Let's go.
Let's do it.
Pull up the full screen, Rob.
They do have answers.
Talk about it.
You just don't like them.
They got answers.
You, you like, you think those are- I didn't say- those are representative quarterback positions?
But those are an- but Geno, Geno Smith is their answer for the Jets.
Malik Willis is their, pickup- No for the Dolphins.
That's an answer.
Who are you saying doesn't have an answer?
Who doesn't have an answer?
The Steelers, that guy's not on the roster, right?
They can't even find him.
Okay, well, anyway- They thought he was in Pittsburgh.
You got- He might have been in Pittsburgh.
He didn't go to the facility.
You're right, you're right.
Aaron Rogers- Minnesota Vikings, Kyle Murray's reportedly in competition with JJ, who stinks.
Yeah.
Right?
So that's not a real answer at quarterback.
Geno Smith, that's not a real answer at quarterback.
Okay.
You watched him last year.
Fernando Mendoza, I have no idea what that guy's gonna be.
So, like, based on the quarterback play alone, you could get to seven very easily.
Then you, if you split with the Bills, now you're at eight.
You split with the Bills last year.
Now you have to win, of your remaining nine games, you have to win two.
You have to go 2-7 to get to 10 wins.
It's very easy.
But- It just did it.
I, I, I- It's the simplest thing of all time I guess it's like- I don't know why you would look at me and feel like it's not.
Voodoo analytics right there.
Yeah, I'm telling you.
That is some fuzzy ass math.
That's not great math.
That is- That's great math by me that is crazy.
Fuzzy path math right there.
And here's the other thing, for, for the road.
Right, last year, the Patriots were undefeated on the road, right?
Undefeated the entire season.
That's not gonna happen.
No, it's not.
That's not gonna happen again.
They're, they're probably gonna start off 0-1.
I'm not gonna come out and say the Patriots are gonna suck again, like I did last year.
But they're probably gonna start 0-1 their first game in Seattle.
But let's, they, look at some of those road games.
