Our fall plans are finally here. On Thursday night, the NFL released the full 2023 regular season schedule – and with it, the Patriots’ 2023 slate.
While we’ve known the Patriots’ 2023 opponents for a few months now, the release of the schedule itself does come with some new information. The bye week, primetime games, road trips, tough stretches, and more can all be factored in. Let’s take a look at the biggest takeaways from Thursday’s release.
For the full schedule, click here.
Tough start…
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 16: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles throws the ball during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on October 16, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Patriots will get tested right out of the gate this season. They open at home against the defending NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles and then the Miami Dolphins, followed by road games against the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys. After a home stop against the New Orleans Saints, they’re back on the road to visit the Las Vegas Raiders, before returning home to take on the Buffalo Bills, and then back on the road to visit Miami to wrap up the first ‘half of their schedule.’
There’s a lot of expected playoff teams on that list, not to mention four divisional games over the first eight weeks. Not a lot of room for a slow start with that lineup. The old mentality of using September as an ‘extended preseason’ probably won’t work as well this year.
…tougher finish?
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 20: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs scrambles out of the pocket as he is held and chased by Sebastian Joseph-Day #69 and Kyle Van Noy #8 of the Los Angeles Chargers during a 30-27 Chiefs win at SoFi Stadium on November 20, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Things don’t get much easier for the Patriots late in the season. They’ll face a gauntlet of playoff-hopeful teams down the stretch.
That segment of the schedule begins after the bye in Week 12, when they visit the New York Giants. That’s followed by a home game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Then the primetime games start – Thursday Night in Pittsburgh against the Steelers, Monday night at home against the Kansas City Chiefs, then Christmas Eve Sunday Night against the Denver Broncos. After that primetime swing, the Patriots play back-to-back divisional games to wrap things up – at Buffalo then at home against the Jets.
Obviously, these will be crucial games for the Patriots if they’re in the playoff hunt. One element of the schedule that stands out is they’ll actually get a few extra days to prepare for arguably their toughest opponent in the Chiefs. That game is on a Monday, and they’ll be coming off a Thursday night matchup, so there are four extra days built into the leadup to that one.
Bye week
Jan 1, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on the field for warm ups before the start of the game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
In last year’s Patriots schedule release video, Ernie Adams shared the ideal bye week is as close to the middle of the season as possible, with a slightly later bye more preferable to one slightly earlier. Pink Stripes, right?
Adams gave that take when the Patriots had Week 10 off last year. This year the bye week is in the same ballpark, coming in Week 11. Based off of what Adams shared, that should be taken as good news.
The real news here though is that the Patriots’ bye week comes after their Week 10 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts in Germany. In the past, it’s been standard procedure in the NFL. However, the Buffalo Bills play the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5 this year, but then are right back in action in Week 6. Their bye doesn’t come until Week 13. So apparently it wasn’t guaranteed the Patriots would get the week after their trip off, but they did anyway.
Trap games
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 20: Running back Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints rushes the football against the Arizona Cardinals during the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on October 20, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Saints 42-34. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Players and coaches often downplay the concept of ‘trap games.’ Yet they do seem to sneak up on teams every once in a while. Is there a trap game on the Patriots’ schedule?
Two possibilities stand out. The first is the Week 5 game against the Saints. It’s the lone home game in a four-week stretch, after two games on the road. The three three games are all against potential playoff teams in the Jets, Cowboys and Raiders.
Week 9 against the Commanders is another sneaky-tough spot for the Patriots. They’ll be coming off back-to-back divisional games – home against the Bills then at the Dolphins – and have their Week 10 trip to Germany right around the corner.
Best road trip
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – APRIL 01: An aerial drone view of AT&T Stadium, where the Dallas Cowboys NFL football team plays, on April 01, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
For Patriots fans looking to go on the road this year, what trips are the most appealing? There are a couple of candidates.
The first game that stands out is Week 4, Oct. 1 in Dallas. The Patriots haven’t been to Jerry’s World since 2015, and aren’t scheduled to go back for another seven years. It’s a bucket list stadium and a great football environment, put it on the list.
While it’s not a massive road trip, and a city the Patriots are in frequently, the Patriots will be in New York to take on the Giants in Week 12 on Nov. 26 – the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Personally, I’m not one for holidays in NYC but I’m told there are people that appeals to. If that’s you, why not including a football game to wrap up the trip? It should be a good game too.
Then, of course, there’s the trip to Las Vegas in Week 6, Oct. 15. It felt a bit repetitive to make this the headline trip after hyping it up so much after last year’s schedule release, but Vegas is Vegas. Expect a strong showing from Patriots Nation at Allegiant Stadium for the second year in a row.
Return of the red
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 09: The New England Patriots offense huddles before a play against the Detroit Lions at Gillette Stadium on October 09, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Nick Grace/Getty Images)
The Patriots are expected to wear their red ‘Pat Patriot’ throwbacks for the second year in a row. They can do so in up to three games (they wore them twice last year). So, which games are the best fit?
Expect the Patriots to wear their throwbacks in at least one primetime game. Assuming they only plan on wearing them at home, the options would be Week 2 against Miami or Week 15 against Kansas City.
As for early afternoon games, it would be cool to see the throwback look against a divisional opponent like Buffalo (Week 7) or another team with a solid uniform set like the Chargers (Week 13). Last year though, they wore them against a (then seen as) middling NFC team in an early season matchup – Week 5 against the Detroit Lions. Who’s coming to Gillette Stadium this year for Week 5? A middling NFC team in the New Orleans Saints. It would also give the Saints a chance to wear their alternate uniform, which includes a white jersey.
If the Patriots want to go way outside the box and wear throwbacks on the road, there are two games they should consider – the Cowboys in Week 4 or the Giants in Week 12.
