The NFL will release the 2013 schedule tonight at 8pm EST. The Patriots are scheduled to play:
Home: Buffalo, Miami, N.Y. Jets, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Denver.
Away: Buffalo, Miami, N.Y. Jets, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Carolina, Houston
Some really great matchups, including the top four AFC seeds from last year’s playoffs. There’s a great range of challenges, especially having to play four playoff teams on the road. It’s definitely not a cream puff year, and the Pats should be well-tested almost every week (sorry Bills and Jets).
The two games I’m most interested in are obviously Denver and Baltimore. Both of those games should get a primetime slot.
In the division, Miami has made the most moves this offseason and appear to be this year’s edition of the team that will take the Pats down. If I’m the Dolphins I want to see the Pats in New England early. That’s the game the AFC East teams just haven’t been able to win, and the Dolphins should be hoping for an early shot there before the Pats offense is healthy and the new wide receivers have started to click.
We’ll have a full analysis, ranking the best games up on Bleacher Report tomorrow morning. It will be a long wait till 8pm…
