The New England Patriots completed on the backside of the AFC standings final season with a 4-13 file — their worst end to a marketing campaign since 1992.
The 2024 season might see the Patriots end with an equally unhealthy file or worse, and one of many major explanation why is their schedule.
New England has a brutal common season schedule. You may make a robust case that 5 of the Patriots’ first six opponents (Bengals, Jets, Dolphins, Texans, 49ers) will make the playoffs.
However simply how difficult is the Patriots’ schedule in 2024?
The Athletic’s Mike Sando lately launched his annual QB tiers column, the place he ranks the league’s greatest quarterbacks based mostly on votes from 50 executives and coaches.
Primarily based on the outcomes of this yr’s QB tiers, the Patriots have the toughest schedule in the league. The Patriots face, on common, a Tier 2.27 QB per sport.
They’ve three video games towards Tier 1 quarterbacks (Joe Burrow, Josh Allen twice) and 6 video games versus Tier 2 quarterbacks (Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert, Aaron Rodgers twice, C.J. Stroud, Brock Purdy). They’ve six video games versus Tier 3 quarterbacks (Tua Tagovailoa twice, Trevor Lawrence, Kyler Murray, Geno Smith and Caleb Williams).
There are eight Tier 4 quarterbacks (together with Patriots starter Jacoby Brissett) and New England performs solely two of them (Anthony Richardson and Will Levis). Richardson, if wholesome, might simply play at a stage above Tier 4.
Ending with one of many five-worst data would not be the worst consequence for the Patriots. Getting a top-five choose within the 2025 NFL Draft could be fairly worthwhile.
This roster remains to be devoid of elite expertise, particularly at huge receiver and the offensive line. The upcoming draft class is anticipated to be loaded with high quality gamers at each positions. We might see six or seven wideouts go within the first spherical of the 2025 draft.
The upcoming season might be ugly at instances for the Patriots, however so long as a number of younger gamers — particularly rookie quarterback Drake Maye — present significant enchancment, then it might be thought of as a profitable marketing campaign regardless of a lackluster file.
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