The playoffs are likely out of the question for the New England Patriots in the second stretch of the 2023 season.
But what they do from here on out still matters because it will ultimately determine where they pick at in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. If the season ended today, they would be the No. 5 overall pick of the draft.
Along with draft positioning, the rest of the year is about evaluating the talent on the roster and seeing if it’s beneficial to keep that talent around long-term. No one likes the word rebuild, but the Patriots are in a prime position to start over at multiple spots on the roster, including players and coaches.
New England entered the season with the hardest schedule in the NFL, and aside from a few winnable games, things won’t get much easier on the backend.
Here are the Patriots’ remaining games on the schedule, ranked from easiest to hardest:
8
Week 12 - New York Giants
If you thought things in New England were bad, the Giants are starting an undrafted rookie quarterback in Tommy DeVito for a team with an even worse scoring offense than the Patriots.
This matchup is a big conundrum for those hoping the Patriots tank the season into the ground. They might not be able to lose to this Giants team even if they tried.
7
Week 16 - Denver Broncos
The Broncos somehow ended a 16-game losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re still a team with a lot of problems.
Their offense hasn’t lived up to expectations, and although the defense has played better in recent weeks, they’re still allowing more total yards than any other team in the league. This is the same team that gave up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins, 28 points to the Chicago Bears and 31 points to the New York Jets in consecutive weeks.
6
Week 10 - Indianapolis Colts
An international trip to Germany against the Indianapolis Colts could be just what the doctor ordered for the struggling Patriots.
Indy’s underrated offense could be a handful for the Patriots’ banged-up defense, but then again, the Colts’ defense is allowing an average of 26.9 points per game, which is currently tied for the third-worst in the league.
This is one of the few defenses in the league that Mac Jones and the Patriots offense should be able to exploit.
5
Week 18 - New York Jets
An argument could be made that this is the easiest game left on the Patriots’ schedule. The Patriots have owned the Zach Wilson-led Jets in the last five head-to-head meetings. Bad things seem to happen whenever Wilson meets Bill Belichick’s defense, which has sacked him 14 times and intercepted seven of his passes in those games.
4
Week 14 - Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers aren’t scaring anyone on the offensive side of the ball, and that alone provides at least a little hope for the Patriots in this matchup. However, T.J. Watt and that monstrous Pittsburgh defense is going to be a big problem for New England.
Their ability to turn up the heat under center and decimate opposing quarterbacks is Mac Jones’ worst nightmare come true, especially with him playing behind a makeshift offensive line.
3
Week 13 - Los Angeles Chargers
Things started off shaky for the Chargers, but they’ve managed to turn it around. They once again look like one of the more formidable teams in the league and a possible AFC contender.
They have a steady pass-rush to give the Patriots fits, and on the offensive side of the ball, they have quarterback Justin Herbert and a bevy of weapons to run up the scoreboard. The only good news is this game being slated for Gillette Stadium.
2
Week 17 - Buffalo Bills
Oh, boy.
This is a revenge game that could get ugly for the Patriots. The Bills will be wanting to get even for their shocking upset loss to New England earlier in the season, and they’ll likely also be playing for better playoff positioning.
So while the Patriots might be looking to pack it in late in the season, this might end up being a meaningful game for one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
1
Week 15 - Kansas City Chiefs
Patriots fans surely aren’t looking forward to seeing Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs come to Foxborough this season.
It might have been interesting if the Patriots were at full strength. Their defensive unit is beat to hell, and the offense is lacking in quality talent and underperforming. This current version of the Patriots is in no shape or form built to compete with the best team in football.
