Assessing the Patriots and their schedule the rest of the way

The Patriots are stuck in a rut, mired in a three-game losing streak. At this point, they are no better than a coin flip to make the playoffs.

Sunday’s game against the Bills, however, will go a long way toward re-establishing playoff hopes, or burying them completely.

And even with a win, their schedule wouldn’t exactly be considered friendly. Not with the Ravens, Cardinals and Rams lurking over the course of the final 10 games, along with a second bout with the Bills.

Having the Jets twice and a struggling Texans team should help, but even the layups are tougher to judge with a Patriots team that was beaten to a pulp by the 49ers last week.

It’s also tough to predict what teams will be like later in the season given injuries, COVID-19, etc.

If the Patriots right the ship, get Cam Newton back on track, and play like they did the first few weeks of the season, anything goes.

But right now, they don’t look like a playoff team. They look like a six- or seven-win team based on the schedule. And that was before Julian Edelman was shelved with knee surgery.

Here’s a closer look at what lies ahead:

Week 8

at Bills

Lowdown: It’s not an overstatement to say the Patriots have owned the Bills for the past two decades. Whether home or away, the Bills haven’t had much success beating the Patriots.

Going back to 2000, the Pats are 35-5 against Sean McDermott’s team. Of course, the Patriots had Tom Brady during that stretch. Now they have a struggling Cam Newton.

The question will be if the Patriots can get up off the mat after Sunday’s slaughter by the Niners.

By the same token, the Bills have lost two of their last three games, and the shine has come off quarterback Josh Allen after an MVP-type start.

We’ll see if the Bills can finally slay the dragon.

Prediction: Loss

Week 9

at Jets 

Lowdown: There’s bad, and then there’s the Jets. They’re everyone’s favorite punch line, not to mention a favorite punching bag of struggling teams. Talk about a friendly oasis: play the Jets and get your mojo back.

That’s been the storyline each week for teams about to face Gang Green. The Patriots should be no different. Plus, they contributed to Sam Darnold’s downhill spiral, forcing him to see ghosts.

Getting croaked by the 49ers is one thing, but if they lose to the Jets, that would be catastrophic. The Patriots won’t let it get that far.

Prediction: Win

Week 10

Ravens

Lowdown: After winning their first eight games last season, the Patriots were exposed Week 9 by the Ravens during a 37-20 loss.

They had no answers for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense. With a weaker front seven up front, it’s hard imagining the Patriots having any more luck this time around, even with the game in Foxboro.

The Ravens, utilizing Jackson and a read-option, rushed for 210 yards. To this point, they have the NFL’s top rushing offense, averaging 164.7 yards per game.

Heading into Week 8, the Patriots had the 27th worst rush defense. That’s not going to fly against the Ravens.

Prediction: Loss

Week 11

at Texans

Lowdown: The Texans are likely to sell off parts before the trade deadline. Even with Deshaun Watson, they’re just playing out the string, hoping to get things in order for a new head coach and general manager.

Romeo Crennel has been holding the fort, taking over as the head coach on an interim basis, following Bill O’Brien’s dismissal.

And while Crennel has managed one win, he hasn’t stopped the bleeding or poor play across the board. While the Texans beat the Patriots last year, the Pats should prevail this time around.

Prediction: Win

Week 12

Cardinals

Lowdown: The Cards, and Kyler Murray, have really started to emerge. People may look back on Sunday night’s comeback win over the Seahawks as a huge turning point.

Murray basically outdueled Russell Wilson to help the Cardinals land an overtime win.

In recent years, the Cardinals have been an automatic ‘W’ for the Patriots, whether playing in Arizona or Foxboro. That won’t be the case this year.

Will the cold and possible snow help the Patriots this year?

Doubt it.

Prediction: Loss

Week 13

at Chargers

Lowdown: Quarterback Justin Herbert has been a revelation. The rookie hasn’t surrendered the job after taking over for Tyrod Taylor. He looks like the real deal. He’s transformed their offense.

That being said, it’s possible Herbert will have a tough time cracking Bill Belichick’s defense.

Whether the Patriots are in the hunt or not, it’s still hard to bet on a rookie quarterback beating the Pats.

Prediction: Win

Week 14

at Rams

Lowdown: Sean McVay still hasn’t lived down his hero worship of Bill Belichick prior to the Rams losing in Super Bowl LIII, 13-3.

But more to the point, McVay would like nothing better than to sock it to Belichick and the Patriots, in their fancy new home out in Los Angeles.

Both teams have undergone significant changes since their meeting in the championship game in 2018 both on offense and defense. They’re like two different teams.

The Patriots will have back-to-back games out west, with the Rams a Thursday night affair. It’s not clear yet if the Pats will be allowed to stay out in LA, or have to fly back and forth. Whatever the case, still not a recipe for success.

Prediction: Loss

Week 15

at Dolphins

Lowdown: For whatever reason, the Patriots have had a tougher time beating the Dolphins in Miami.

Over the past seven games at Hard Rock Stadium, the Pats have gone 2-5.

They usually melt in the heat, and with a Week 15 game at the end of December, they’ll hit a heat wave for sure.

Instead of facing Ryan Fitzpatrick, who they know well, and whooped in the season opener, it’ll be Tua Time. By this point, he will have had eight starts under his belt, assuming he doesn’t get hurt.

Prediction: Loss

Week 16 

Bills

Lowdown: This will be their second go-round. It’s possible there will still be playoff implications, whether it’s seeding for the Bills, or the Patriots having a last gasp at the post-season.

Will the Bills sweep the Patriots for the first time in the past two decades?

If they didn’t beat the Pats Week 8, maybe they get them here. But with the Bills likely having the division wrapped up at this point, it’s possible they’ll take their foot off the pedal.

Prediction: Win

Week 17

Jets

Lowdown: If the Jets are sitting at 0-15, with the chance to select Trevor Lawrence weighing in the balance, no way they put up a fight.

Not that there’s been much of a fight during the season.

If the Patriots are out of it, they won’t have much to play for, either. But the lure of Lawrence will be too great for the Jets.

Prediction: Win

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3mA4NH5