Patriots Get a Schedule Break? Why New England’s 2026 Slate Is Sneakier Than It Looks
The Patriots don’t have one of the NFL’s hardest schedules in 2026, but their path is far from a free ride after last season’s softer slate.
Patriots Get a Schedule Break? Why New England’s 2026 Slate Is Sneakier Than It Looks originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Patriots ’ 2026 schedule might not look brutal on paper, but Pats fans know better than to get too comfortable in May. According to Sharp Football Analysis’ 2026 NFL strength of schedule rankings , New England has the No. 12 easiest schedule in the league based on projected win totals.
That puts the Patriots in a pretty favorable spot compared to much of the NFL, but it does not exactly mean they can coast through the regular season. Sharp’s rankings use projected 2026 win totals instead of last year’s records, which the site notes can be misleading because teams change so much year to year. What Patriots’ 2026 strength of schedule ranking means The Patriots come in at No.
12 in Sharp’s 2026 strength of schedule rankings, with No. 1 being the easiest schedule and No. 32 being the hardest.