The 2017 NFL season hasn’t even started, but New England Patriots fans already can start making plans for 2018.
Barring any unforeseen tweaks in the system, we now have a pretty clear idea of who the Patriots will play next season, thanks to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The actual schedule won’t be released until next year, but here are the teams New England should expect to face:
Home
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
AFC West team that finishes in same spot as Patriots in 2017 standings
Away
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
AFC North team that finishes in same spot as Pats in 2017 standings
Barring any major shakeups to these teams’ rosters, the 2018 season should be pretty interesting for the Patriots, especially the home slate.
Seeing Aaron Rodgers and the Packers at Gillette Stadium speaks for itself, especially if Tom Brady still is with the Patriots. Furthermore, the Vikings still should be formidable, and the Texans might be among the AFC’s elite, should quarterback Deshaun Watson develop as the team hopes.
Of course, we still have an entire year to go before this schedule is worth discussing. But if there’s one thing sports fans enjoy more than reliving the past, it’s looking toward the future.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
