7:30 p.m.: Here it is, the Patriots’ 2020 schedule:
Football? Is that you?!
? 2020 #Patriots schedule: https://t.co/da7ZpBljtf pic.twitter.com/T76qvzbv68
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) May 7, 2020
7:25 p.m.: The full NFL preseason schedule won’t be released until a later date, but the Patriots will open their exhibition slate with a home game against the Detroit Lions, a source told Morey Hershgordon of WPRI.
Source: The #Patriots will host the Lions in the preseason opener Aug 13-17.
— Morey Hershgordon (@MHershgordon) May 7, 2020
That game likely will be preceded by a week of joint practices if COVID-19 restrictions allow for them this summer.
6:50 p.m.: Jimmy Garoppolo’s return to Gillette Stadium will take place in Week 7, a source told Evan Lazar.
Source: #Patriots–#49ers at Gillette is Week 7. Another 4:25pm game.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) May 7, 2020
6:25 p.m.:Â Patriots vs. Ravens, Week 10, “Sunday Night Football.”
Ravens prime time games tho, I’ll do those:
There are 5, including 3 in a row –W3: Chiefs MNF
W10 : @ New England SNF
W12: @ Pitt (Thanksgiving)
W13: Dallas TNF
W14: @ Cleveland MNF— lindsey ok (@lindseyyok) May 7, 2020
5:40 p.m.: Two more updates, via Evan Lazar of CLNS Media:
Source: the #Patriots will play the defending champion #Chiefs in Week 4 at Arrowhead. 4:25pm game.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) May 7, 2020
#Patriots are at the #Dolphins in Week 15, sources tell @RealAlexBarth and me.
We now know the Miami games are Week 1 at Gillette and Week 15 in Miami.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) May 7, 2020
3:40 p.m.:Â The Patriots will open the 2020 season with a home game against the Miami Dolphins, according to a report from Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
The Brian Flores-led Dolphins won five of their final nine games last season — including a stunning Week 17 win of the Patriots at Gillette Stadium — and added a slew of notable free agents this offseason, including ex-Patriots Kyle Van Noy, Ted Karras and Elandon Roberts.
Miami also used the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on hot-shot quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but it’s unclear whether he’ll be fully healthy and poised to start by September. If he’s not, the Patriots likely will face veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who engineered last year’s Foxboro upset.
1:39 p.m.: For the second straight season, the Patriots will make a Monday night visit to MetLife Stadium. They have a primetime road game against the New York Jets on Monday, Nov. 9, according to a report from Brian Costello of the New York Post.
The Patriots throttled the Jets on “Monday Night Football” last season, winning 33-0 in the Sam Darnold “Seeing Ghosts” game.
12:45 p.m.:Â The Patriots will visit the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Nov. 1, according to a report.
Per source, the #Bills home opener will take place on 9/13 against the NY Jets. The Bills will also play the Patriots at home on 11/1 and Dolphins at home on 1/3.
— Bradley Gelber (@BradleyGelber) May 7, 2020
11 a.m.: The Patriots’ schedule might not be frontloaded with NFC games after all.
According to Kyle Meinke, who covers the Detroit Lions for MLive, previous reports of teams playing four non-conference games to begin the season were not accurate.
The AFC v. NFC thing isn't correct. It's Detroit hosting the Bears in Week 1. https://t.co/K5quxBKPDv
— kyle meinke (@kmeinke) May 7, 2020
8:45 a.m. ET: The New England Patriots’ schedule won’t be officially unveiled until 7:30 p.m. Thursday night, but details already have begun to trickle out.
For instance, ESPN’s John Clayton reported Wednesday that all four of each team’s non-conference games will be stacked at the start of the season, meaning the Patriots will face the Arizona Cardinals (home), Los Angeles Rams (away), San Francisco 49ers (home) and Seattle Seahawks (away) in the first four weeks. (The exact order of those games has yet to be reported.)
This setup would allow the NFL to cancel early games without significantly impacting AFC and NFC playoff races if the COVID-19 pandemic delays the start of the season.
Follow along with this tracker for live updates on any additional Patriots schedule leaks as they happen. As a refresher, here’s the full list of New England’s 2020 opponents:
Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets
Away: Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets
