NFL Writer Makes Strong Patriots Prediction That Will Upset Many Fans originally appeared on NESN.
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Many fans are entering this season with high hopes for the Patriots, especially after their recent Super Bowl appearance, in which they fell short against the Seattle Seahawks.
However, not everyone shares this optimism. Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report made a surprising prediction: he believes the Patriots will miss the playoffs this season, even though a few key factors went their way in 2025.
“New England benefited from the league’s easiest schedule in 2025, but the schedule is expected to be significantly more difficult in 2026,” Gagnon wrote on Wednesday. “The Patriots were the league’s healthiest team in terms of adjusted games lost in 2025, but injury luck tends to balance out from season to season. There’s a good chance they’ll be impacted by a lot more injuries in 2026. “The Pats sneaked up on the league in 2025. That element of surprise will be gone in 2026.”
Gagnon highlighted several compelling reasons why the Patriots made the playoffs last season, but it’s worth noting that they have also improved on paper this offseason on both sides of the ball. This assessment doesn’t even take into account the possibility of A.J. Brown heading to New England in a trade after June 1.
There’s a strong chance that Drake Maye will take a significant leap in his third season. If he improves even further, he could easily become one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL.
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