Wednesday evening marked yet another holiday on the NFL calendar as the entirety of the 2024 schedule was released.
As all teams now do, the Patriots released where and when they’ll play in 2024-25 with a far too extravagant, albeit very clever, social media video. New England’s version? A spinoff of Good Will Hunting titled Good Jules Hunting depicting former Pats wide receiver Julian Edelman as an expert in schedule-predicting.
Classic.
Do you like schedules? pic.twitter.com/xxNTeCxFvv
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) May 16, 2024
Here’s a full look, along with thoughts and predictions, on their upcoming 17 games:
Week 1: @ Bengals — Sunday, Sept. 8, 1 p.m.
New England starts 2024 off with an immediate challenge as Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, one of the better signal callers in football, returns from his 2023 season-ending wrist injury.
It’s also a revenge game for tight end Mike Gesicki — who spent last season with the Patriots before signing with Cincinnati this past March.
Result: L (0-1)
Week 2: vs. Seahawks — Sunday, Sept. 15, 1 p.m.
Jerod Mayo’s first game as the Patriots head coach in front of the Gillette Stadium crowd comes against another rookie head coach in Seattle’s Mike Macdonald.
After missing out on the 2023-24 playoffs with a Week 17 loss, the Seahawks parted ways with long-time man in charge Pete Carroll. They’re a solid team with a great defensive backfield, but I think New England can get by them for their first post-Belichick win.
Result: W (1-1)
Week 3: @ Jets — Thursday, Sept. 19, 8:15 p.m.
Barring a healthy first two weeks, this will be New England’s first look at the Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets. It’ll be a challenge on a short week, but I think the Patriots can keep it close as the 40-year-old QB continues to find his groove in the Big Apple.
Result: L (1-2)
Week 4: @ 49ers — Sunday, Sept. 29, 4:05 p.m.
The first true blowout of Jerod Mayo era comes at the hands of the defending NFC Champion 49ers. Despite 10 days rest, the Patriots go cross-country and get smoked by San Francisco and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, whom New England reportedly called on to trade for this offseason.
Result: L (1-3)
Week 5: vs. Dolphins — Sunday, Oct. 6, 1 p.m.
The Miami Dolphins have been a front-running team over the past several seasons with Mike McDaniel and Tua Tagovailoa manning the offense — starting hot before wiltering a bit down the stretch.
Unfortunately, the Patriots get them early in 2024 and lose their third in a row.
Result: L (1-4)
Week 6: vs. Texans — Sunday, Oct. 13, 1 p.m.
The way general manager Nick Caserio has set up the Houston Texans should be exactly what Eliot Wolf has in mind with the Patriots: hit on your rookie quarterback early and become instant playoff contenders.
Will it happen? We’ll see. For now? We get to see C.J. Stroud play football in Gillette Stadium.
Result: L (1-5)
Week 7: @ Jaguars — Sunday, Oct. 20, 9:30 a.m. (London)
The Patriot’s second consecutive October trip across the pond finds them in London in 2024 against the Jaguars. Notably, this one features the two prominent teams in the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes this past offseason — before the Titans swooped in and landed him.
Result: L (1-6)
Week 8: vs. Jets — Sunday, Oct. 27, 1 p.m.
With Rodgers now hitting his groove, the Patriots will struggle even more with New York in Week 8.
History, in this context, doesn’t matter. I don’t care that they’re “The Jets”. This team is good, and will beat New England twice in 2024.
Result: L (1-7)
Week 9: @ Titans — Sunday, Nov. 3, 1 p.m.
The Patriots’ second win doesn’t come until their Week 9 matchup against the Titans in Nashville. Without Derrick Henry, I don’t have any confidence in rookie head coach/offensive play caller Brian Callahan or second-year quarterback Will Levis.
Result: W (2-7)
Week 10: @ Bears — Sunday, Nov. 10, 1 p.m.
If the Patriots have handed the reigns over to rookie quarterback Drake Maye by now, we’ll get the 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams vs. the No. 3 overall pick facing off. Something the NFL needs and will likely be craving.
Result: W (3-7)
Week 11: vs. Rams — Sunday, Nov. 17, 1 p.m.
This one could be another blowout. The Rams are old, but that means they’re experienced. Matthew Stafford (when healthy) is a top five quarterback in football and will be throwing to a healthy Cooper Kupp and a second-year stud in Puka Nacua.
Losing Aaron Donald doesn’t phase ’em, and LA wins big in NE.
Result: L (3-8)
Week 12: @ Dolphins — Sunday, Nov. 24, 1 p.m.
Another matchup against the Dolphins ends in another loss. This one’s in Miami, where New England hasn’t won since 2019.
Result: L (3-9)
Week 13: vs. Colts — Sunday, Dec. 1, 1 p.m.
This one could come back to bite me if Anthony Richardson returns to his early-season form (which could be tough, considering the way he played in 2023 got him injured on what seemed to be every other play), but I think New England can win this one pretty convincingly.
The Patriots head into the bye week with a win — and potentially a significant decision to make.
Result: W (4-9)
Week 14: BYE WEEK
One of the first things I looked for when the schedule came out on Wedensday was when the Patriots bye week will be as with 14 full days off, it could be when they turn the keys over from veteran Jacoby Brissett to Drake Maye.
The downside of this happening now? They’d be giving the rookie just four games to get his feet wet before the 2025 offseason, with two of the matchups against one of the league’s best in the Buffalo Bills.
Week 15: @ Cardinals — Sunday, Dec. 15, 4:25 p.m.
Before we get to the Bills, however, we have the Cardinals.
I’m not sure how this one will play out. What I do know? Kyler Murray is being severely underrated. When healthy, he’s one of the league’s best. Not only can he play backyard football with his lightning-quick speed and running back-like field vision, but the former No. 1 overall pick is also a surgeon in the pocket who can read defenses with the best of them.
Result: W (5-9)
Week 16: @ Bills — Sunday, Dec. 22, 1 p.m.
Not much thought here besides this: Buffalo is really good and New England isn’t. Plus, they’ll be playing for something (i.e. playoff seeding) while New England won’t be.
Bills win in Orchard Park.
Result: L (5-10)
Week 17: vs. Chargers — TBD
The Patriots get a look at Drake Maye comp. Justin Herbert at home in Week 17.
Los Angeles lost their two top receivers from last season in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, but with Jim Harbaugh running the show there are high hopes for the 2024-25 Chargers.
Result: L (5-11)
Week 18: vs. Bills — TBD
New England closes out 2024-25 with three straight losses, but confidence moving forward. Drake Maye looks good while the offense hits its stride and the defense continues to be solid. Although W’s aren’t showing up on thee schedule, the Patriots leave themselves with high hopes for next season.
Result: L (5-12)
So there you have it, a way-too-early prediction of how this thing goes in 2024 for the Patriots.
When you think of it, as long as there are tangible positives to take away from the campaign, a 5-12 record really isn’t that bad for a team entering a multi-year rebuild. It gives them more draft pick ammunition to continue the path back to hoisting a Lombari.
Follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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