New England Patriots: Rundown of 2021 opponents

The New England Patriots are coming off of their first season in two decades without Tom Brady and, after many trials and tribulations, they know the team’s they’ll be facing in the 2021 season. 

The New England Patriots ended the 2020 NFL season finishing third in the AFC East and missing the playoffs for the first time since Tom Brady suffered a torn ACL in the 2008 season opener.

With the NFL considering adding a 17th regular-season game, the current scheduling formula is as follows: Each team will play six games against divisional opponents, four against teams from a division within its conference, four games against teams from a division in the other conference, and two games against teams from the two remaining divisions in its own conference based on the order of finish in the divisions.

So let’s take a look at the opponents the New England Patriots will face and give an early breakdown of the matchups.

Breaking down the New England Patriots opponents in 2021

Looking ahead to the 2021 season, the Patriots’ schedule is headlined by the five-time Super Bowl MVP, Brady returning to Gillette Stadium where he took the Bill Belichick-led team to a mind-boggling nine Super Bowls. With the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers coming to Foxborough, this matchup is certainly going to be circled on many calendars once the full schedule is released.

The Patriots will also welcome AFC East rivals the Buffalo Bills who were one game away from making it back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994. New England will also travel to Orchard Park to take on Josh Allen who with the aid of newly acquired receiver Stefon Diggs, had over 4,000 yards through the air for the first time in his career.

Another divisional rival will take a trip to Foxborough when the Miami Dolphins, who finished second in the AFC East last season. The final AFC East matchup involves a team that New England hasn’t lost against since the 2015 season and the team that finished with just two wins during the 2020 regular season, the New York Jets. The Jets who have recently brought on former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their next head coach.

Heading to the AFC North, and hosting the team that made it to the playoff for the first time since 2002, the not-so-humorous Cleveland Browns. During the 2020 season, Baker Mayfield and the Browns collected 11 wins leading to their first playoff win during the Wildcard round since defeating the New England Patriots in 1994 with Belichick leading the team. The last time these two teams met was during week 8 of the 2019 season with the Patriots sending the Browns back to Cleveland with a 27-13 loss.

New England will head to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a Super Bowl LI rematch against the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta finished the 2020 season with the third-worst record in the league with just four wins. This is the first matchup between the two teams since Tom Brady and the Patriots were staring at a 28-3 deficit with 2:12 left to go in the Super Bowl while owner Arthur Blank paraded on the sidelines.

Back at home, the Patriots will go up against what looks to be a New Orleans Saints offense unfamiliarity not led by thirteen-year quarterback and one-time Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees. The Saints finished the 2020 season at 12-4 and first in the NFC South before falling to Brady and the eventual Super Bowl champion Tamba Bay Buccaneers during the Divisional Round.

The Patriots will also travel to the Bank of America Stadium to take on the Carolina Panthers and also to the newly constructed SoFi Stadium to try and stop the Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert leading the Los Angeles Chargers. During the 2020 season, the Patriots blew the Chargers away with a 45-0 victory which was the most points the team put up all year.

Taking on another team with questions at the quarterback position, New England will travel to NRG Stadium to visit the Houston Texans where the 2020 Passing Yards Leader Deshaun Watson has expressed his displeasure with his current place within the organization.

The team that finished the 2020 NFL season at the bottom of the standings with a single win and 15 losses, the Jacksonville Jaguars will visit the Patriots in Foxborough.

At Lucas Oil Stadium, the Patriots take on the  Indianapolis Colts which lost their trash-talking veteran quarterback Philip Rivers in January after 17 seasons. The Colts finished the year with eleven wins before falling to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round.

Finally, the team that buried the dagger into the 20-year Patriots’ dynasty a few more inches when they defeated the New England Patriots in Brady’s last game before departing to Florida during the Wild Card Round of the 2019 season, Derrick Henry and the Tennesse Titans will make their way to Boston.

A season which is overflowing with questions, optimism, and more cap space than the Patriots have had in recent memory also includes several Super Bowl rematches and is headlined with the greatest quarterback of all time returning to the stadium where he spent 20 years, gifted the organization over 200 wins and won six championships.