The NFL schedule has been released, and the Patriots will once against be prominently featured in prime time.
Keeping in mind that any game after week 10 can be “flexed” either into or out of prime time, here is your New England Patriots 2010 schedule:
Sun 9/12/2010 1:00 PM vs Bengals
Sun 9/19/2010 4:15 PM @ Jets
Sun 9/26/2010 1:00 PM vs Bills
Mon 10/4/2010 8:30 PM @ Dolphins
Sun 10/10/2010 – Bye
Sun 10/17/2010 1:00 PM vs Ravens
Sun 10/24/2010 4:15 PM @ Chargers
Sun 10/31/2010 4:15 PM vs Vikings
Sun 11/7/2010 1:00 PM @ Browns
Sun 11/14/2010 8:20 PM @ Steelers
Sun 11/21/2010 4:15 PM vs Colts
Thu 11/25/2010 12:30 PM @ Lions
Mon 12/6/2010 8:30 PM vs Jets
Sun 12/12/2010 1:00 PM @ Bears
Sun 12/19/2010 8:20 PM vs Packers
Sun 12/26/2010 1:00 PM @ Bills
Sun 1/2/2011 1:00 PM vs Dolphins
At first glance, it’s a pretty tough schedule.
After getting the Bengals at home (certainly a winnable game), the Patriots run the AFC East gauntlet before a week 5 bye. Then the schedule gets ridiculous.
They get a rematch against the Ravens in week 6, head across the country to face the Chargers in week 7, come back home to face the Vikings in week 8, have their only back-to-back road games in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, then get the Colts at home on Sunday night.
Four days later, they head to Detroit to play on Thanksgiving.
That’s a crazy stretch.
It’s too early to play the win, win, loss, loss game, but I played it anyway and came up with 11 wins. I figure they’ll split with the Jets and Dolphins, then lose to the Colts, Chargers, and Vikings.
Of course, the schedule’s only tough if the teams play the way they did last season. Given that half the playoff field misses the playoffs the next season, that’s not a given.
My guess is that the January 2nd game against the Dolphins is going to mean something, and I think we’ll be pretty happy that the Miami Fish have to come to cold, hopefully snowy New England for the game.
Key games:
Sun 9/19/2010 4:15 PM @ Jets
The Patriots head to the Giants’ new stadium to play the other New York team in week 2. Last season, the Jets announced their return to the NFL by beating the Patriots in week 2. This season, the Patriots would like to remind everyone who won the AFC East last season in the same week.
Sun 10/17/2010 1:00 PM vs Ravens
Revenge game for the Patriots. If they can’t get up for this one, we may have a repeat of the 2009 season. Nobody wants that.
Sun 11/14/2010 8:20 PM @ Steelers
Don’t let Big Ben near the Brady Sisters.
Sun 11/21/2010 4:15 PM vs Colts
The Patriots get the Colts at home this year. Hopefully we’ll get one of those freak November snowstorms that week.
