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The New England Patriots spent last season changing the way the rest of the NFL viewed them.
Now, it seems that hill to climb was built to last.
The Athletic’s Mike Jones placed New England among the league’s “overrated” teams entering 2026, warning that the surprise factor has disappeared after an AFC East title and a trip to Super Bowl LX.
After the Patriots started training camp with the rookies reporting on July 21, Jones centered his case on a road-heavy opening stretch, the time it could take A.J. Brown and Drake Maye to develop chemistry and the absence of a game-changing pass rush.
The assessment lands before training camp with the Patriots carrying expectations they did not face one year ago.
New England finished 14-3 while scoring 490 points, second most in the NFL, and allowing 320, fourth fewest. Pro Football Reference’s underlying numbers were slightly less dominant, giving the Patriots an expected record of 12.5-4.5 and a minus-4.49 strength-of-schedule figure.
Their Super Bowl appearance put New England on the map as a contender.
But the 2026 schedule will quickly determine whether the roster is equipped to stay there.
Patriots’ 2026 Schedule Removes Margin for Error
GettyHead coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots speaks with quarterback Drake Maye during the Patriots’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 7, 2025, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Jones wrote that New England will no longer have the “luxury of sneaking up on teams,” and the opening month is demanding from the outset.
New England opens on the road against the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl rematch, returns home to face Pittsburgh and then travels to Jacksonville and Buffalo.
All four opponents reached the playoffs last season, and three of the four games will be played away from Gillette Stadium.
The travel remains demanding beyond September.
The Patriots have consecutive road games against Jacksonville and Buffalo, then another pair at Chicago and Miami within their first eight weeks.
Patriots.com also projected New England to travel the fifth-most miles, with a November trip to Munich followed by a post-bye game in Los Angeles.
That makes Maye’s continued growth even more important. He threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2025 while leading the NFL with a 77.1 QBR.
So, the Patriots can reasonably expect another top-tier season from their quarterback, although repeating 14 wins against a deeper group of opponents requires more than a pretty stat line.
Brown Adds Firepower, but Pass Rush Defines Floor
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 11: A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles walks off the field after his team’s 23-19 loss against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Patriots addressed their biggest offensive need by acquiring Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
The move gave Maye a proven No. 1 receiver and reunited Brown with Mike Vrabel, who coached him during his first three NFL seasons in Tennessee.
Jones still viewed the new partnership as a possible early obstacle.
Even an established receiver must learn the timing, terminology and on-the-fly adjustments within a new offense, and New England’s schedule offers limited patience if that process extends into October.
Additionally, the defensive concern may carry even more weight.
New England recorded 48 sacks last season and finished fourth in points allowed, yet ESPN ranked the Patriots 19th with a 35% pass-rush win rate.
The defense created enough disruption to support a Super Bowl run, but it didn’t consistently win individual rush matchups at an elite level.
That leaves room for New England to answer the “overrated” label.
Brown must make the passing game more difficult to contain, while the front seven needs to generate pressure without depending on aggressive blitz packages.
The Patriots validated that they could reach February.
Their 2026 season will reveal whether that run marked the beginning of a sustained window or a lofty guideline that became more arduous to match.
Duncan Day is a sports contributor for Heavy. He has covered NFL, NBA, hockey and soccer for various outlets, including NBC Sports, Boston.com, USA TODAY, Forbes, Bleacher Report, The Dallas Morning News and more. More about Duncan Day
