ESPN Analyst Identifies Adjustment Patriots Must Make In 2026 originally appeared on NESN.
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The New England Patriots will enter the 2026 under far different circumstances than last year.
New England began Mike Vrabel’s head-coaching tenure as a stealthy sleeper to make the playoffs. The Patriots sprinted past even those optimistic expectations by going 14-3 and winning the AFC title.
Nobody will let New England fly under the radar this season. The Patriots must navigate a tougher schedule to deliver an encore in 2026.
Patriots fans now officially know one matchup, as the NFL revealed that they’ll play the Detroit Lions in Munich on Nov. 15. While ESPN analyzed the international schedule reveal on Wednesday’s “Get Up,” former linebacker Bart Scott questioned how the Patriots will respond to having a target on their backs as AFC champions.
“With the Patriots, it’s intriguing,” Scott said. “Because usually when you have a year that’s unexpected, sometimes you have a course correction. Because people aren’t used to being the hunted. They’re used to being the hunters.
“Let’s see how the Patriots handle that. The Bills are gonna be coming for redemption, and everybody is going to be eyeing and circling those games. Can they make the adjustment to understand the pressure of being the favorite?”
The Lions are one of several dangerous opponents on a 2026 slate that includes the NFC North, AFC West and a Super Bowl LX rematch with the Seattle Seahawks. Vrabel’s squad has a higher bar to clear after expediting a rapid turnaround during Drake Maye’s second season.
With that said, Vegas still isn’t treating the Patriots as the team to beat. The Bills are -130 favorites to reclaim the AFC East title on DraftKings Sportsbook, where eight teams have shorter odds than New England to win the Super Bowl.
More NFL: Patriots Headed Overseas To Play Lions In November