After starting the season 0-1 with a Week 1 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, the New England Patriots turned it around in Week 2 with a win on the road against division foe the Miami Dolphins 33-27. Drake Maye had one of his best games, finishing 19/23 on passes with 230 yards with 2 touchdowns, while adding 31 yards on the ground with 10 attempts and 1 rushing touchdown.
While Maye and the offense looked significantly improved, the defense still has some issues to sort out, but came up big when the game was on the line, stopping the Dolphins' final drive with Milton Williams picking up the game-winning sack.
Now with a 1-1 record on the year, let's take a look at the Patriots' upcoming 4 games and see how they stack up to the opposing teams.
Week 3- Pittsburgh Steelers
In Week 3, the Patriots return home to host the 1-1 Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 21. The Steelers are coming off a 31-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The Steelers look very different compared to last year, with Aaron Rodgers now the starting quarterback and bringing in DK Metcalf at wide receiver, while trading away George Pickens in the offseason. This will be the closest of the next four games, with the health of Christian Gonzalez being an important factor.
Ultimately, I'm going to rule in favor of the Patriots in a close game to improve to 2-1 on the season.
Week 4- Carolina Panthers
Week 4 will be an interesting week as this will be the Patriots' first game against an NFC team when they host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 28. The Panthers fell to 0-2 and very well could be 0-3 when they come to Foxborough. The Panthers got some rough news following the week 2 loss, as two of the team's starting offensive linemen were placed on IR and will miss the game.
With how well the Patriots' defensive line has played through the first two games, they should be able to generate pressure and contain starting running back Chuba Hubbard with a banged-up Panthers o-line. While the Patriots can't look past the Panthers, they should win this game and improve to 3-1 heading into the biggest game of the season so far.
Week 5- Buffalo Bills
When the Patriots head on the road to take on the divisional rival Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Oct. 5, this will be the team's first primetime appearance on Sunday night. The Bills are off to another strong start, being 2-0 and looking like they could represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. This will be a great test, as this will let Patriots fans see how they match up with one of the best teams in the league.
The Patriots' defense will have its hands full trying to contain the reigning league MVP, Josh Allen, while the Bills' defense will be tough to score against. While I don't expect this game to be a blowout, I think Buffalo gets the win by 2 possessions, dropping the Patriots to 3-2. Even though the Patriots have shown improvement, I don't think it has been enough to take down one of the league's best teams on the road.
Week 6- New Orleans Saints
Entering Week 6, the Patriots will once again be on the road when they take on the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Oct. 12. The Saints are currently 0-2 on the season, but have looked better than expected despite the record. The biggest key entering this game will be how Spencer Rattler continues to play.
Rattler is entering his second season and should be the Saints' starting quarterback when the teams meet. In the backfield, Alvin Kamara is still a threat to be worried about, along with an improving defense. While I think this one will be closer than Patriot fans may think, I still expect the Patriots to pick up the win and improve to 4-2 on the season.
This four-game stretch will tell us a lot about what type of team the Patriots are. If my predictions are right and they end up 4-2 or better, then they could be looking at sneaking into the playoffs as one of the wildcard teams. But if the Patriots struggle during this stretch, then fans should start to prepare for another year with the Patriots not playing postseason football.