The New England Patriots have a full slate of 2026 match-ups following the NFL’s regular season schedule release. This week’s Patriots Roundtable Podcast dives into New England’s campaign, week-by-week.
The NFL released the full 272-game schedule for the upcoming 2026 regular season, and the New England Patriots officially have games on the calendar.
On this week’s Patriots Roundtable Podcast, Eddie and Tyler dive into each match-up, solving their 17-game litmus test with a record projection for the team. How does this year’s campaign compare to last? Where is the schedule forgiving, and where will it present the greatest challenges? We analyze each contest and pick the winner in this way-too-early Patriots record prediction.
New England’s 2026 gauntlet projects a much different road to success than their previous campaign. With a .531 opponent winning percentage heading into the new year, New England ranks sixth in strength of schedule league-wide, as opposed to their .429 opposing winning percentage (third-lowest in the NFL) entering the 2025 season.
With two separate west coast trips and a skip across the pond to Munich, Germany, on the books, New England ranks fourth in the NFL in total air miles traveled for the upcoming season with 27,590 miles.
Here’s a closer look at the Patriots full 2026 schedule, week-by-week:
- Week 1: @ Seattle Seahawks (Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 8:20 p.m. ET)
- Week 2: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1:00 p.m.)
- Week 3: @ Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 4: @ Buffalo Bills (Sunday, Oct. 4 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 5: vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday, Oct. 11 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 6: vs. New York Jets (Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 7: @ Chicago Bears (Thursday, Oct. 22 at 8:15 p.m. ET)
- Week 8: @ Miami Dolphins (Sunday, Nov. 1 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 9: vs. Green Bay Packers (Sunday, Nov. 8 at 4:25 p.m. ET)
- Week 10: @ Detroit Lions (Sunday, Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m. ET in Munich, Germany)
- Week 11: BYE
- Week 12: @ Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday, Nov. 29 at 8:20 p.m. ET)
- Week 13: vs. Buffalo Bills (Sunday, Dec. 6 at 4:25 p.m. ET)
- Week 14: vs. Minnesota Vikings (Thursday, Dec. 10 at 8:15 p.m. ET)
- Week 15: @ Kansas City Chiefs (Monday, Dec. 21 at 8:15 p.m. ET)
- Week 16: @ New York Jets (Sunday, Dec. 27 at 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 17: vs. Denver Broncos (Jan. 2-4)
- Week 18: vs. Miami Dolphins (Jan. 9-10)
A Super Bowl LX rematch in the NFL Kickoff Game against the Seattle Seahawks is one of five primetime spots for the Patriots in 2026 — and one of four that take place on the road. New England also travels to play the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football, the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football, and the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. The Patriots also travel to Munich, Germany, to take on the Detroit Lions in their sixth standalone game (9:30 a.m. ET kick-off).
New England’s lone home primetime game is a Thursday Night Football showdown against the Minnesota Vikings, just days after a tilt with the Buffalo Bills.
Of the Patriots first four games, three come on the road — including consecutive trips to Jacksonville and Buffalo. Seven of New England’s first 11 games are on the road; their “road warriors” identity will certainly be tested early and often.
The schedule eases with home stands against the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets, but ramps right back up with a short-week turnaround to Chicago and another venture to Florida with a divisional match-up against the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots stop home for a Fox 4:25 p.m. broadcast against the Green Bay Packers that will mark Tom Brady’s first game as a broadcaster in the Gillette Stadium booth before their hike out to Germany, and follow that up with the bye week.
The Chargers await as New England exits their bye week, with the Bills and Vikings to follow before they enter Arrowhead Stadium in a late-season affair with the Chiefs. They finish their road contests in East Rutherford, New Jersey against the Jets and return home to match-ups against the Denver Broncos and Dolphins to wrap-up the regular season.
A host of 2025 rematches highlight the 2026 schedule, with the Patriots set to take on playoff foes in Los Angeles, Denver, and Seattle. New England will face each team that beat them last season, with games against the Seahawks, Steelers, Bills, and Raiders.
The Patriots’ 2026 schedule looks much more intimidating than their 2025 slate — but this team has also made great strides to improve on a Super Bowl-caliber core from one year ago. They’ll be under the lights all year, with new expectations of repeat success. How will they measure up? Tonight’s Patriots Roundtable Podcast explores.
Tune in to hear the full schedule breakdown and our way-too-early record predictions for the year ahead.
How do you think New England will fare against their 2026 opponents? What is your record prediction this season? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation on Patriots Roundtable.
Join the discussion in the community boards below, or on our Patriots Roundtable Podcast YouTube page — and stay tuned for lots more on New England’s NFL Draft strategy in the days to come on Patriots Roundtable.
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