Patriots Must Take Advantage of Early Schedule

The New England Patriots have already generated considerable hype heading into the 2025 NFL season, as many view the Patriots as playoff candidates thanks to their new and improved roster and coaching staff.

Others are skeptical, wondering if New England can seriously reverse its fortunes that quickly after posting back-to-back four-win campaigns.

Regardless of what you believe, most can probably agree that the Pats should be better this coming season, but how much better will they actually be?

Well, Ryan McLaughlin of Musket Fire has revealed one thing that could potentially derail the Patriots' season very early in the year: a slow start.

New England has a very easy schedule over its first month, as it will face the Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers in September.

McLaughlin feels the Pats should go no worse than 3-1 over those games and thinks that this stretch could ultimately spell disaster for Mike Vrabel's club if they don't take care of business.

"Getting off to a 1-3 type of start could send New England's season off the railroad tracks before the train even gets a chance to get cooking," McLaughlin wrote. "Training camp will be essential to ensure the Patriots can answer those questions and be ready to perform come September."

Here's the problem, though: a 1-3 start is possible.

While the first three opponents on the Patriots' slate didn't make the playoffs last season, they aren't all pushovers. The Raiders now have the respectable Geno Smith under center, the Dolphins have gotten healthier and the Panthers should be considerably better, much like New England.

There does exist a world in which the Pats could enter their matchup with the Steelers at 1-2, and while that game is in Foxborough, Pittsburgh won 10 games last season and just signed Aaron Rodgers to be its new quarterback.

We probably shouldn't count our chickens before the eggs hatch when it comes to determining the Patriots' record in September.