Ranking Every Game on the Patriots Schedule From Easiest to Hardest
Just looking at how last year's schedule turned out, this year's slate of games for the New England Patriots has to be harder, right?
They'll be playing a first place schedule for the first time since 2020, going up against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and have plenty of primetime games to make their schedule feel out of wack at times.
Despite that, the Patriots still are in the driver's seat to grab their second-straight AFC East title this year.
There are some tricky parts of this schedule, especially the front half of the fall, but New England could potentially win double digit games once again. Here's all of their 2026 games, ranked from easiest to hardest.
17 | Week 5 vs Las Vegas Raiders
Last year's season opener won't be repeated this year. The Patriots will either be going up against veteran Kirk Cousins or first overall pick Fernando Mendoza this year at home, but shouldn't have to worry about Las Vegas being competitive. There are solid pieces on that team (Ashton Jeanty, Brock Bowers), but the Patriots are miles ahead of one of the league's worst constucted rosters.
16 | Week 6 vs New York Jets
Like the Raiders, the Patriots should handle business against their division rival. Geno Smith -- the Raiders quarterback last season -- is under center for the Jets. Will that be an upgrade over Justin Fields and Brady Cook, who New York rolled out for both matchups in 2025? Sure, but this will be one of those games Patriots fans don't even think about by the time December rolls around.
15 | Week 16 at New York Jets
The only reason why this Jets game is ranked higher than the first one is because it's on the road, and things can sometimes get funky by the end of the regular season. The Patriots wiped the floor at MetLife Stadium late last year and have had sustained success in that building. There's always a worry of a trap game, but I don't see it happening at the hands of the Jets.
14 | Week 18 vs Miami Dolphins
Another year, another regular season finale at home against Miami. The Dolphins will look a whole lot different this season with Jeff Hafley at head coach and Malik Willis at quarterback. That won't change what should be another easy home win for New England. There's always worries about that Week 17 game back in 2019 though.
13 | Week 2 vs Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers just recently re-signed Aaron Rogers to a one-year deal to play quarterback this year. While that makes the home opener a bit more interesting, it shouldn't change the Patriots' outlook on the game. The future Hall of Famer isn't his normal self, and five turnovers (New England's output last year) won't happen again. Pittsburgh has added weapons, but it won't be enough this season.
12 | Week 8 at Miami Dolphins
It doesn't matter what month it is, the Patriots have always seemed to struggle when they travel down to Miami. It's the first time in a while that this game is being held in a month other than September, but this will fall right in the middle of the season. By that point, both sides will have some idea of their identity, and Miami could pull off a home upset if the cards fall the right way for them.
11 | Week 14 vs Minnesota Vikings
A few years back, the Vikings had one of the NFL's best offenses. This season may be a bit different for Minnesota, as a quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy is on the horizon. Because of that, this is a game the Patriots should win. On the other hand, that team can always be tricky and if the starting quarterback figures it out, this game is far from a done deal.
10 | Week 3 at Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars were a surprise last year and won the AFC South. On that note, they're due for a regression. Trevor Lawrence got the better of the Patriots the last time these two teams faced off (London in 2024), but Drake Maye is far better at this point right now. An early season game on the road is always difficult for New England, and a slow start out of the gate could plague the Patriots this week.
9 | Week 15 at Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City was awful last season, even with Patrick Mahomes healthy and on the field. Now coming off a torn ACL, the MVP quarterback is a bit of a mystery heading into the season. That being said, the Chiefs have always been a tough out with Andy Reid calling the plays and could bounce back in 2026. A Monday Night battle late in the year should be one of the better games of the season.
8 | Week 12 at Los Angeles Chargers
Missing their two tackles, the Chargers lost in a greasy Wild Card game last year at Gillette. This time, Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater will be back on the field. It will also be played on the road on Sunday Night Football (shades of 2014 in San Diego). A duel between Maye and Justin Herbert could lead to some offensive firepower, and LA's suffocating defense is always something to watch out for.
7 | Week 10 at Detroit Lions
Playing the Lions on the road would be a tough task. Luckily for the Patriots, they were able to get this game overseas and without the rowdy Detroit crowd. There's always a downside to an international game, as the week-long prep and exhaustive travel can wind a team down before the ball is even kicked off. It wouldn't matter who they're playing -- this game is bound to be a hard one.
6 | Week 7 at Chicago Bears
Maye vs. Caleb Williams. Mike Vrabel vs. Ben Johnson. Thursday Night Football under the lights. This game will be one of the best ones New England plays in all year, and who could have imagined saying that sentence three seasons ago? Two of the league's top quarterbacks will face off for the second times in their careers, and this game could be a litmus test for how the back-half of 2026 goes.
5 | Week 9 vs Green Bay Packers
Another NFC North battle, this time the first game for Romeo Doubs against his former team. The Packers come to town for an afternooon battle (and Tom Brady will call his first Patriots game as a broadcaster since picking up the microphone). On the fiel, Green Bay's high-flying offense and Micah Parsons on the other side of the ball make this one a tricky one for New England at home.
4 | Week 4 at Buffalo Bills
The first of two games with the Bills, and the Patriots' fourth game of the season. The Patriots will make their debut in the new Highmark Stadium to open up October, and ideally come into the week with good mojo after wins over Pittsburgh and Jacksonville. Josh Allen should be his usual self in this one, but the Patriots have figured out some of Buffalo's secret stuff, and it was evident last season.
3 | Week 1 at Seattle Seahawks
This is just the third time in NFL history, and first since 2016, that the two teams that did battle in the Super Bowl will open up the following season against each other. The Patriots didn't play well against the Seahawks in the first matchup and had to watch confetti fall on their heads. Now, they'll watch Seattle's Super Bowl banner drop in one of the hardest places in all of football to play in.
2 | Week 17 vs Denver Broncos
Bo Nix should be healthy and more than ready to go for this game, especially considering he was sidelined for the AFC championship in January. Kudos for the league for making this the penultimate game on the Patriots' regular season schedule, forcing it to have major postseason implications. Depending on how the season shakes out, this one week could determine home field advanatage.
1 | Week 13 vs Buffalo Bills
The reason why this Bills game is ranked higher than the other way is because of the drama that is certain to come with this one. Late in the year and a potential battle for the division crown, this afternoon will be an electric factory in New England. The Patriots blew a 21-0 lead last time the Bills came to down, so these games are never without dramatics. Expect this to be an important week.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Ranking Every Game on the Patriots Schedule From Easiest to Hardest.
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This story was originally published May 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM.