New England Patriots schedule: Games, dates, TV channels, predictions for 2026 season
Jacob CamenkerThe New England Patriots logged a 10-win improvement between the 2024 and 2025 NFL seasons and shocked the world by making it to the Super Bowl during Mike Vrabel's first season as the team's coach.
Will the Patriots be able to repeat that success in 2026, or will New England take a step back? It may depend on how well the team can handle a tougher schedule.
The Patriots had the NFL's weakest strength of schedule in 2025. That will change in 2026, New England's schedule ranks as just the 12th-easiest, per Sharp Football Analysis.
The good news for Patriots fans? New England should have a better roster this season, especially offensively. The team signed 26-year-old wide receiver Romeo Doubs in free agency to help replace Stefon Diggs while also adding Alijah Vera-Tucker and first-round pick Caleb Lomu to shore up their shaky offensive line.
Additionally, the Patriots continue to be tied to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown in trade rumors and could add him to their receiver room in advance of the 2026 NFL season.
Will that be enough to help the Patriots take another step forward, or at least sustain their success? Here's what to know about their schedule for the 2026 NFL season.
Shop Patriots 2026 ticketsNew England Patriots schedule 2026
This section will be updated when the NFL schedule is released on May 14 (all times Eastern):
- Week 1 (Sept. 9): at Seattle Seahawks, 8:20 p.m., NBC (Season opener, Wednesday)
- Week 2 (Sept. 20): vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 3 (Sept. 27): at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 4 (Oct. 4): at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 5 (Oct. 11): vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 6: (Oct. 18): vs. New York Jets, 1 p.m., CBS
- Week 7 (Oct. 22): at Chicago Bears, 8:15 p.m., Amazon Prime ("Thursday Night Football")
- Week 8: (Nov. 1): at Miami Dolphins, 4:25 p.m., CBS
- Week 9 (Nov. 8): vs. Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m., Fox
- Week 10 (Nov. 15): at Detroit Lions, 9:30 a.m., Fox (Munich)
- Week 11: BYE
- Week 12 (Nov. 29): at Los Angeles Chargers, 8:20 p.m., NBC ("Sunday Night Football")
- Week 13 (Dec. 6): vs. Buffalo Bills, 4:25 p.m., CBS
- Week 14 (Dec. 10): vs. Minnesota Vikings, 8:15 p.m., Amazon Prime ("Thursday Night Football")
- Week 15 (Dec. 21): at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m., ESPN ("Monday Night Football")
- Week 16 (Dec. 27): at New York Jets, 1:00 p.m., CBS
- Week 17: vs. Denver Broncos
- Week 18: vs. Miami Dolphins
Patriots record prediction 2026
Record prediction: 10-7
It's hard to imagine a situation where the Patriots don't take a step back in 2026. Sure, their overall roster is better, but their schedule profiles as being that much tougher than the easy regular-season path they faced last season.
Specifically, New England's road schedule figures to be a tough test. The Patriots will play the Bears, Bills, Chiefs and Seahawks in tough road environments and will also have to face the Lions overseas in Germany.
The saving grace for the New England is that Buffalo appears to be their only top-tier competition in the AFC East. The Dolphins and Jets are both rebuilding, so it figures to be a two-horse race between the Patriots and Bills for the division title, barring a surprise.
Buffalo will probably enter the season as the AFC East favorites, especially as the Patriots deal with turmoil surrounding coach Mike Vrabel and his seeming relationship with former NFL reporter Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
But if Drake Maye takes another leap forward after being the MVP runner-up in 2025, the Patriots could have a chance to win back-to-back division titles. And at the very least, the young, improving squad should be in the thick of the NFL's wild-card race.
Patriots home opponents 2026
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
- New York Jets
- Denver Broncos
- Green Bay Packers
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Minnesota Vikings
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Patriots away opponents 2026
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
- New York Jets
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Seattle Seahawks
Super Bowl 61 odds
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