New England Patriots: 2018 regular season weekly predictions

Justin Keene

FOXBOROUGH, MA - AUGUST 16: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots throws a pass in the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles during the preseason game at Gillette Stadium on August 16, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)

Coming off a 13-3 season and a heartbreaking loss in Super Bowl LII, the New England Patriots look to start fresh in 2018 and put together yet another strong season and a deep playoff run.

The New England Patriots always seem to get above 10 wins and have a bye in the first round of the playoffs. With a division as much of a project as the AFC East, the Patriots should take home their 10th straight division championship and their 16th in the Tom Brady – Bill Belichick era in 2018.

Now, everything is not perfect in New England; the defense still looks atrocious and with a depleted receiving core, Brady will have his hands full. He is the Greatest of All Time for a reason, and always puts this team on his back when they need it the most.

Let’s take a look at their schedule for this upcoming season and predict their record game by game.

Week 1: Sunday, September 9th 1 PM vs Houston Texans

The home opener. The NFL schedule gods gave the New England Patriots a tough task right off the bat. With DeShaun Watson coming back healthy, look for the Watson – DeAndre Hopkins connection to pick up where they left off last season.

New England won a nail-biter at home against this very same team last year and I expect this year’s game to be just as close.

Houston still has a stellar defense, led by pass rushers JJ Watt and Jadeveon Clowney who you know will be hungry to get to the quarterback and start the season off right with good games.

The Patriots will also be without Julian Edelman, so I expect Rob Gronkowski to get a healthy 10-15 targets to open the season. Houston should put up a lot of points, but Brady will find something in his bag of tricks to help the Patriots avoid losing the season opener 2 years in a row.

Game Prediction: Patriots 42, Texans 38

Record: (1-0)

Week 2: Sunday, September 16th 4:25 PM @ Jacksonville Jaguars

An AFC Championship rematch, this time down in Jacksonville. The Jaguars’ defense is still elite and is going to be looking to get some revenge on Brady and the New England Patriots for knocking them out of the playoffs in January. This will be the Jaguars home opener as well, so look for them to be hyped up with the help of the home crowd.

Yes, Blake Bortles is still their quarterback, but they will have second-year running back Leonard Fournette in the backfield.

The Patriots would’ve lost in the AFC Championship game if it wasn’t for a monster 4th quarter from Danny “Playoff” Amendola. Amendola isn’t here this season, and the Patriots will be 2 games away from the return of Julian Edelman. Brady still will be establishing his repertoire with his wide receiving core.

Rob Gronkowski is going to be yet again a target hog, but the elite secondary from Jacksonville will do everything they can to shut Gronk down. The matchup does not favor New England, so this is where I believe they will suffer their first loss of the 2018 season.

Game Prediction: Jaguars 23, Patriots 17

Record: (1-1)

Week 3: Sunday, September 23rd 8:20 PM @ Detroit Lions

The New England Patriots will travel to Detroit and face the Lions. Patriots former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is now the head coach of the Lions and former running back LeGarrette Blount is a part of their backfield as well.

The Lions have a strong passing offense, but we all know Brady and the Patriots would be able to keep up. New England will look to have a bounce-back game, after a very tough matchup the previous week to Jacksonville. The Patriots will put up over 30 points this week with ease.

Game Prediction: Patriots 38, Lions 27

Record: (2-1)

Week 4: Sunday, September 30th 1 PM vs Miami Dolphins

After two games on the road, the New England Patriots will return to Foxborough for a three game home-stand. First up on that list, division rival Miami Dolphins. Last year, the Patriots and Dolphins split the season series, with each team winning on their home field.

Now, we all know division games are always tough, no matter how good each team is. Miami’s defensive line did get weaker with the departure of Ndamukong Suh. Their offense also took a hit with star wide receiver Jarvis Landry now in Cleveland. Brady should have a very strong game, throwing for 300-plus yards and at least 3 touchdowns. I think the Patriots win handily in this one, especially at home.

Game Prediction: Patriots 35, Dolphins 17

Record: (3-1)

Week 5: Thursday, October 4th 8:20 PM vs Indianapolis Colts

The first primetime game of the season for New England. The Patriots welcome in the Indianapolis Colts on a short week for a Thursday night showdown. Josh McDaniels almost left for the coaching job in Indianapolis earlier this offseason, so you know the Colts are going to want to come in here and send a message. But I think that is very unlikely.

With Andrew Luck back, the Colts definitely will be a different team than what they were last year. T.Y. Hilton will be very happy to have his quarterback back, and I expect him to have a big game against a weak New England secondary.

Ultimately, Luck won’t be able to keep up with Brady, as the Patriots will start to pull away about halfway through the second quarter. Tom Brady will be happy to have Julian Edelman back, and I predict Jules will have over 100 yards and at least one touchdown. This one will be an easy win for the Patriots.

Game Prediction: Patriots 31, Colts 17

Week 6: Sunday, October 14th 8:20 PM vs Kansas City Chiefs

The New England Patriots will have a lot of rest for this one, and they most certainly will need it. In the season opener last year, the Chiefs came in here and completely dominated the Patriots at home 42-27.

This is a new year however, with newly appointed starter Patrick Mahomes at the helm. By this point in the season, he will have shaken off some of the rust and jitters, but there is nothing quite like facing the Patriots at Gillette for a primetime game.

Kansas City has a stellar defense, and I expect them to give Brady and company some issues. The Chief’s offense still has plenty of weapons in Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and newly acquired Kelvin Benjamin.

The Patriots defense will have their hands full, especially with plenty of weapons and a unique playbook that the Chiefs will throw at the Patriots. Bill Belichick does not lose to rookie quarterbacks, and I expect this trend to continue. Stephen Gostkowski will have to make a clutch game-winning kick in this one to secure a victory for the home team.

Game Prediction: Patriots 27, Chiefs 24

Record: (5-1)

Week 7: Sunday, October 21st 1 PM @ Chicago Bears

After three home games, New England departs on a two game road trip. The first stop is to Chicago to take on the Bears at Soldier Field.

Chicago is led by second-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky. The only other weapon the Bears have on offense is running back Jordan Howard. I expect a heavy dose of Howard, as he could eclipse the century mark on the ground in this one.

Brady will have his way with the Bears defense. Edelman should be back up to full speed, as this will be his third game back from suspension. This will be a good week for the Patriots offense and anyone who has them on their fantasy team. The Patriots will cruise to another win.

Game Prediction: Patriots 35, Bears 13

Record: (6-1)

Week 8: Monday, October 29th 8:15 PM @ Buffalo Bills

The New England Patriots will head to Buffalo and face the Bills in Gronk’s hometown. We all remember the drama from this game last season, when Gronkowski threw himself on cornerback Tre’Davious White last year.

I expect Gronk to have a monster game in his hometown, as he owns the Buffalo Bills. In 13 career games against the Bills, Gronk has 66 receptions on 100 targets, with 1027 yards and 12 touchdowns.

This game will also be a big one for Brady, and I predict he throws for over 350 yards with at least 4 touchdowns. The Bills’ offense is pretty weak as well, as the only real threat to the New England defense is running back LeSean McCoy. He should have a good game on the ground, but other than him, I don’t see any member of the Bills being a threat. New England wins this divisional matchup with ease.

Game Prediction: Patriots 28, Bills 13

Record: (7-1)

Week 9: Sunday, November 4th 8:20 PM vs Green Bay Packers

The New England Patriots return home and start the second half of their season with a potential Super Bowl matchup. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers come into town for a Sunday night showdown.

The Packers have added tight end Jimmy Graham who should be a red zone threat for the Packers. Despite the loss of Jordy Nelson, I still expect the Packers to put up a good fight. Rodgers is the second-best quarterback in the NFL and he is going to want to put on a show at Gillette, especially since it’s a primetime matchup.

Don’t count the Patriots out here, as Green Bay has a sub par defense that Tom Brady most definitely can pick apart. He will have all his weapons geared up and ready to go, as we all know Brady will do everything in his power to get the team amped up for this game.

Josh McDaniels may have to dig into his hidden bag of tricks and pull out a trick play, as this game is going to be close the entire time; and may even go into overtime. I could honestly see this being a shootout, as both quarterbacks will be looking to help strengthen their cases for MVP at this point in the season.

The winner of this game will be whoever has the ball at the end of the fourth quarter and a kicker might have to make a clutch kick to secure a victory. This game could go either way and will prove to be a blueprint for a possible meeting in February if these two teams can make it that far.

Game Prediction: Patriots 45, Packers 42

Record: (8-1)

Week 10: Sunday, November 11th 1 PM @ Tennessee Titans

Coming off a shootout the previous week, the New England Patriots will head to Nashville to take on the Titans. These two teams last played in the divisional round of the 2017 playoffs, where the Patriots won handily, 35-14.

There will be a little bit of drama surrounding this game, as Malcolm Butler will be facing his former team for the first time. Maybe by this point in the season, we will all know why Bill Belichick sat him down in Super Bowl LII. The Patriots dominated the Titans in the playoffs, and I expect them to do the same here.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Malcolm Butler picks off Brady in this one. The Patriots are going to throw at Butler a lot here, but I expect him to intercept one of them. He’s going to be all riled up to play against his former team, so you know he’s going to leave it all out on the field and do everything he can to beat his former team.

Butler won’t be enough for the Titans though, as Marcus Mariota won’t be able to get much going for the Tennessee offense. The Patriots offense will be too much to handle and will put up too many points that the Titans won’t be able to keep up.

Game Prediction: Patriots 28, Titans 17

Record: (9-1)

Week 11: Bye Week

Having one of the late byes in November always is a plus. This week will get Brady and company rested for the last 6 games of the regular season, where they go on the road for tough divisional games at the Jets and Miami, including yet another late-season trip to Pittsburgh that could have top seed implications.

Week 12: Sunday, November 25th 1 PM @ New York Jets

Coming off the bye week, the New England Patriots will be well rested and ready to go for the homestretch portion of the schedule. Belichick and company will invite the New York Jets into Foxborough for the first time this season.

By this point in the season, most likely the Jets will be out of it, so they could be starting rookie quarterback Sam Darnold for this game. If that is the case, I don’t give the Jets a chance here.

Tom Brady will be able to take a seat on the bench by halftime. The New England backfield will have a field day in this one, as there will be plenty of opportunities for them to run the ball and milk the clock.

Backup Brian Hoyer will get a healthy share of the snaps in the second half of this game. Look for Chris Hogan to eclipse the century mark in this divisional showdown. Pats cruise to start on the right foot after the bye.

Game Prediction: Patriots 38, Jets 14

Record: (10-1)

Week 13: Sunday, December 2nd 4:25 PM vs Minnesota Vikings

The New England Patriots start off the month of December with a tough home matchup. They welcome the new look Minnesota Vikings into town for a mid-day showdown.

The Vikings made it to the NFC Championship game last year behind the charge of their elite defense. The addition of Kirk Cousins elevates their offense to a whole new level.

At this point in the season, Cousins could be making the case for a potential MVP. The Vikings also have a plethora of weapons on offense in Dalvin Cook, Latavius Murray, Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and Kyle Rudolph. This offense will be a lot for the New England defense to handle.

Brady will have a tough time against the Vikings defense. The Vikings defense accounted for 14 interceptions and 37 sacks last season, and I expect them to put up similar numbers this year. Brady will have his hands full, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him throw one or two interceptions in this game.

The defensive line will give him a lot of issues too, as they like to get pressure on the quarterback. I would also expect the secondary to take away Rob Gronkowski, forcing Brady to go to some of his smaller weapons in his wideouts or running backs out of the backfield.

If the Vikings defense can hold the New England offense, Kirk Cousins can take advantage of the weak Patriots defense and put some points up on the board. I think the Patriots take a tough loss here at Gillette.

Game Prediction: Vikings 24, Patriots 17

Record: (10-2)

Week 14: Sunday, December 9th 1 PM @ Miami Dolphins

The dreaded late-season trip to Miami. Last year, the Patriots fell apart in week 14 against the Dolphins in Miami.

This year, I expect the complete opposite outcome. After a frustrating loss at home to the Vikings the week before, the Patriots will do everything in their power to avoid a 2 game losing streak.

Brady will come back and have the offense firing. He’s going to be one angry guy and will look to beat up on the division rival from Florida. Brady is going to have a monster game here, as I can see him throwing for over 400 yards and 5 touchdowns. Julian Edelman is going to be on the receiving end of 2 of those scores, and look for Phillip Dorsett to have a very good game as well.

I wouldn’t be surprised if former Patriot Danny Amendola gets a garbage time touchdown as the Dolphins will be playing catchup for most of the second half. New England cruises and starts another winning streak.

Game Prediction: Patriots 56, Dolphins 21

Record: (11-2)

Week 15: Sunday, December 16th 4:25 PM @ Pittsburgh Steelers

The New England Patriots will wrap up their road schedule by traveling to Pittsburgh for a week 15 clash. At this point in the season, this could be a deciding factor in the race for the top seed in the AFC.

Last season, the Patriots won a very tight 27-24 game in Pittsburgh in week 15. Brady led a late touchdown drive to give New England the lead and after a controversial touchdown by tight end Jesse James that was later overturned, the Patriots secured the victory.

This season, this game will very much be a repeat of last years’. New England will have to find a way to contain the Pittsburgh offense, one that features Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

This game will come down to the final minutes, but that’s where Tom Brady thrives. I expect another late touchdown for the Patriots, this time with very little opportunity left for the Steelers to do anything.

Game Prediction: Patriots 21, Steelers 20

Record: (12-2)

Week 16: Sunday, December 23rd 1 PM vs Buffalo Bills

The New England Patriots return home for the final two games of the 2018 regular season. With December winding down, the Patriots should be very close to clinching the division crown yet again if they haven’t already. Week 16 they invite the Buffalo Bills into Gillette. After a Monday night beatdown of the Bills by New England earlier in the season, Buffalo will look to do the same to the Patriots; especially on their home turf.

Buffalo does not stand a chance here. The high powered New England Patriots offense will be too much to handle. Rob Gronkowski will pad his already loaded career stats against the Bills, as he scores his 19th and 20th touchdowns on the season in this game. Patriots rookie running back Sony Michel also has a huge game here, rushing for 1 touchdown while adding another through the air. Brady and Belichick cruise to victory here.

Game Prediction: Patriots 42, Bills 24

Record: (13-2)

Week 17: Sunday, December 30th 1 PM vs New York Jets

The New England Patriots will wrap up the 2018 regular season at home against the division rival New York Jets. The Patriots will be able to afford the luxury of being able to rest the starters, as they will have the top seed in the AFC locked up at this point. I expect the starters to get at least one quarters’ worth of work before they turn it over to the backups to take care of the rest.

The Jets do not stand a chance, even against the New England backups. I expect secondary receivers like Phillip Dorsett and Eric Decker to each secure at least 7 receptions and come close to the century mark through the air. New England’s running backs will have plenty of opportunities to pad the stats also, as the Patriots will look to run the ball quite often to get the clock down to triple 0’s as fast as they can.

Game Prediction: Patriots 28, Jets 17

Record: (14-2)

The New England Patriots will have the top seed and a first-round bye yet again in 2018. They will need the bye week to get everyone rested and focused for the goal ahead. The Playoffs are a totally new season, and any team can be beaten on any given day. New England will do everything in their power to ensure their season ends in confetti in February. The AFC playoffs will go through Gillette for the third straight year. Brady and Belichick will be looking to make it to the Super Bowl yet again, and I think they have a very good shot at making it there this year.