Patriots 2021 schedule released, game-by-game breakdown

Author Alex Barth

May 12th, 2021 8:03 PM

While we’ve known the Patriots’ 2021 opponents since the end of the 2020 season, the order of the schedule is needed to paint the complete picture. When is the bye week? Which games come after short rest? When does the team have to travel to Miami? When it comes to making predictions or projecting a record, the ‘schedule’ portion of the schedule is important.

The NFL released the full 2021 schedule Wednesday night, giving us the complete layout of the Patriots’ upcoming season. One notable game highlights the first half of the season, but things really ramp in November. If the Patriots are going to make a playoff push, they’re going to need to beat some good teams down the stretch.

How do this year’s Patriots games line up? Here’s a look at the 2021 schedule.

Note: All games are Sunday unless otherwise noted.

• Preseason

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  Unlike past years, the Patriots' preseason schedule was released along with the regular season slate. Because the Patriots, like all AFC teams, get an extra home game in the regular season this year, they’ll play just one game at home in the inaugural three-game preseason.
  
  

  • Thursday, August 12 vs. Washington Football Team (7:30 p.m.)
  • Thursday, August 19 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (7:30 p.m.)
  • Sunday, August 29 at New York Giants (7:30 p.m.)

• Week 1: Sept. 12 vs. Miami Dolphins (4:25 p.m.)

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  The Patriots open their season at home for the fifth-straight season, and host Miami in the opener for the second year in a row. With a number of players moving between the two rosters during the offseason, expect this to be an emotional game once again.

• Week 2: Sept. 19 at New York Jets (1:00 p.m.)

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  Last year’s game in New York was almost a disaster for the Patriots. They’ll return to face a reloaded Jets team, led by second-overall pick Zach Wilson. Of course, the Patriots underwent a roster overhaul themselves this offseason, so this game could be a good measuring stick to see just how far they’ve separated themselves from last year’s last place team.
• Week 3: Sept. 26 vs. New Orleans Saints (1:00 p.m.)

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  Last time the Saints were in Foxborough, Scott Zolak gave us the legendary “Unicorns! Show Ponies! Where’s the Beef!” This time around, the quarterback situation for both teams is much more uncertain. Whether it’s Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill, or Tevor Siemian under center for the Saints, the Patriots defense could be in for a big day.

• Week 4: Oct. 3 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8:20 p.m.)

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  No need to editorialize this one. Good luck finding tickets.

• Week 5: Oct. 10 at Houston Texans (1:00 p.m.)

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  Houston was the site of one of the Patriots’ worst losses of the season last year. Since then, the Texans’ roster has been torn apart, with former Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio leading the franchise through the early stages of a rebuild. If Deshaun Watson is unavailable, there’s a real chance this could be one of the Patriots’ easier games of the year, following perhaps their most difficult matchup.
• Week 6: Oct. 17 vs. Dallas Cowboys (4:25 p.m.)

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  How fast will Dak Prescott shake off the rust after missing most of last season with an ankle injury? That’s something for Patriots fans to watch heading into Week 6. If Prescott is fully healthy, this could be one of the more fun games of the season.

• Week 7: Oct. 24 vs. New York Jets (1:00 p.m.)

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  The Patriots get both matchups against the Jets out of the way relatively early. There’s a lot of youth and new pieces on the offensive side of the football in New York, and the Patriots will have a chance to take advantage of their lack of chemistry before they start to gel.

• Week 8: Oct 31. at Los Angeles Chargers (4:05 p.m.)

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  Last season, the Patriots bullied the Chargers in all three phases of the game in a blowout win. Now the Chargers have a new coach, and Justin Herbert is no longer a rookie. Expect this year’s meeting to be much more competitive.
• Week 9: Nov. 7 at Carolina Panthers (1:00 p.m.)

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  One of the more surprising elements of this schedule is the Panthers game not happening earlier in the season. While everybody is focused on Tom Brady’s homecoming, Cam Newton’s return to Carolina isn’t insignificant by any means. However, will he still be the starting quarterback by the time November rolls around?

• Week 10: Nov. 14 vs. Cleveland Browns (1:00 p.m.)

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  We’re now into mid-November, when playoff stakes start to show. There’s a real chance both of these teams are jockeying for at least Wild Card positioning at this point. Add the fact that the Patriots will be returning home after two straight games on the road, and this should be one of the more hyped games of the year.

• Week 11: Nov. 18 at Atlanta Falcons (Thursday, 8:20 p.m.)

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  This will be the second consecutive season the Patriots head on the road for Thursday Night Football - the first time that’s happened since it became a year-long part of the schedule in 2013. With a short week leading up to it, coming off what’s sure to be a big game against the Browns, this one could end up earning a ‘trap game’ label.
• Week 12: Nov. 28 vs. Tennessee Titans (1:00 p.m.)

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  The Patriots’ newly-rebuilt run defense will truly be put to the test, as they try to stop Derrick Henry in what should be a consequential late-season game. Last time the Patriots and Titans played was the 2019 Wild Card Round, when Mike Vrabel’s team essentially ended the Tom Brady era in New England. Brady may be gone, but there’s still a number of players left on the roster who experienced that loss, making this somewhat of a revenge game.

• Week 13: Dec. 6 at Buffalo Bills (Monday. 8:15 p.m.)

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  Orchard Park should be rocking for this one. Having to go into one of the most hostile environments in football late in the season for a key game isn’t ideal, but it will be a good litmus test for the new-look Patriots.

• Week 14: BYE

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  If the Patriots were planning to make a quarterback change during their bye week, as many teams have started doing over the last few years, Week 14 is an awfully late time to do it. With the Thursday night game late in the season as well, there’s just not a ton of time to rest for the Patriots in this schedule. Conditioning is always a point of emphasis for the Patriots, but this year in particular it will be key.
• Week 15: Dec. 18 or 19 at Indianapolis Colts (TBD)

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  If the Patriots and Colts are both in the playoff hunt, the NFL could flex this game to Saturday. If that’s the case, it would be a fun throwback to when Patriots-Colts games actually mattered. There really hasn’t been much juice in the ‘rivalry’ over the past decade, with New England winning the last eight games between the two.

• Week 16: Dec. 26 vs. Buffalo Bills (1:00 p.m.)

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  Two quick games at the end of the season against the reigning division champion is easily the most ‘intimidating’ part of this schedule. Still, if Bill Belichick can get everything clicking for the stretch run like he’s done in the past, this one will be a lot of fun.

• Week 17: Jan 2. vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (1:00 p.m.)

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  Trevor Lawrence won’t quite be a rookie at this point, and it will be fun to see how Bill Belichick decides to gameplan for the No. 1 pick. In a second-half stretch that’s mostly brutal, this Jags game should be a good chance for the Patriots to grab a crucial late-season win.
• Week 18: Jan 9 at Miami Dolphins (1:00 p.m.)

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  Entering uncharted territory here with Week 18, as the Patriots wrap up the regular season against the team they hosted in the opener. Could this be a ‘win-and-in’ game for either team? Both? It’s not out of the realm of possibility. The Patriots have a sorted history with late-season games in Miami, only adding to the intrigue.

Click here for 98.5 The Sports Hub’s complete coverage of the Patriots.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].

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Author Alex Barth

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