A look at New England Patriots 2007 schedule
New England Patriots record: 18-1
| New England Patriots 2007 Regular Season Schedule |
|||
| 9/9 | @ | New York Jets | 38-14 |
| 9/16 | vs | San Diego Chargers | 38-14 |
| 9/23 | vs | Buffalo Bills | 38-7 |
| 10/1 | @ | Cincinnati Bengals | 34-13 |
| 10/7 | vs | Cleveland Browns | 34-17 |
| 10/14 | @ | Dallas Cowboys | 48-27 |
| 10/21 | @ | Miami Dolphins | 49-28 |
| 10/28 | vs | Washington Redskins | 52-7 |
| 11/4 | @ | Indianapolis Colts | 24-20 |
| 11/11 | Bye | ||
| 11/18 | @ | Buffalo Bills | 56-10 |
| 11/25 | vs | Philadelphia Eagles | 31-28 |
| 12/3 | @ | Baltimore Ravens | 27-24 |
| 12/9 | vs | Pittsburgh Steelers | 34-13 |
| 12/16 | vs | New York Jets | 20-10 |
| 12/23 | vs | Miami Dolphins | 28-7 |
| 12/29 | @ | New York Giants | 38-35 |
| New England Patriots Play-off Games | |||
| 1/12 | vs. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 31-20 |
| 1/20 | vs. | San Diego Chargers | 21-12 |
| 2/3 | vs. | New York Giants | 14-17 |
The 2007 NFL regular season begins on Thursday September 6 when New Orleans Saints visit Indianapolis Colts. New England Patriots kick off their season at 1 p.m. on Sunday September 9 against division rivals New York Jets. Here’s a look at the New England Patriots 2007 schedules and those of the team’s opponents.
New York Jets, September 9 and December 16.
Jets travel to New England after what is likely to be a soft spot in the schedule. After a mid-November bye-week the Jets play Pittsburgh at home, Dallas and Miami on the road and finally Cleveland at home before traveling to New England. Patriots, on the other hand, will be coming off games against Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh.
Jets record 2006: 10-6.
San Diego Chargers, September 16
This Sunday night game could be on of the highlights of the season. The Chargers open their season the week before at home against Chicago Bears whose physical defense will hopefully take a toll on the Chargers much like the Chargers took a toll on the Patriots in last year’s AFC Divisional play off game.
Update: Chargers did beat Bears 14-3 in what reportedly was a heck of a bruising game. LaDanian Tomlinson threw a halfback pass for a touchdown and also ran in a score.
Buffalo Bills, September 23 and November 18.
Bills get one heck of a start to their season. Before visiting New England on September 23 they have to play Denver Broncos at home and then Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. Bills will no doubt hope they can get off to a start similar to last year’s when they sacked Patriots quarterback on the first play from scrimmage, recovered the ball and returned it for a touchdown. Of course, being the current era Bills, they lost the game after getting stuffed on a fourth-down play by a back up linebacker. The November 18 rematch will take place in Buffalo the week after New England’s bye and after a fairly tough stretch for Buffalo (Baltimore, at Jets, Cincinnati, at Miami). Considering the air of near-despair in Buffalo after seven playoff-less seasons Patriots should have a good shot at sweeping the Bills.
Buffalo’s record 2006: 7-9
Update: Buffalo Bills lost their season opener 15-14 to Denver Broncos. They lost their second game to Pittsburgh Steelers, 26-3.
Cincinnati Bengals, October 1
Cincinnati Bengals host New England Patriots first Monday Night Football game in 2007. Patriots will be the Bengals last opponent before Cincy’s bye week. Bengals start their season at home against Baltimore, at Cleveland and at Seattle before receiving the Patriots.
Cincinnati’s record 2006: 8-8
Cleveland Browns, October 7
For the second week in row, Patriots will play an AFC North opponent, this time the Cleveland Browns, head coached by former Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. The Browns could potentially be stumbling into this game in a winless free fall, although their third-week game at Oakland makes that somewhat unlikely. Interestingly, Browns play Bengals in week 2, two weeks before Patriots play them.
Cleveland’s record 2006: 4-12
Dallas Cowboys, October 14
In the middle of a soft stretch of their schedule, Dallas Cowboys get a change of pace when Patriots roll into town. Dallas will be coming off potential powder-puff games against St. Louis and Buffalo (the latter on Monday Night Football in Buffalo). Cowboys play Miami in week two.
Dallas’s record 2006: 9-7
Miami Dolphins, October 21 and December 23.
Patriots are in a bit of luck against Miami scheduling wise this season, with the road game coming in late October rather than in September and the home game in late December, hopefully in bad conditions and by the time Miami has more or less packed it in (although they always unpack if for the Patriots). Miami, on the other hand, will enjoy a nice and easy stretch leading up to the first game, with outings against Oakland, at Houston, and at Cleveland (keep an eye on how Cleveland is doing against Miami on October 14). Miami will play New York Giants in London the following week, so they’ll have their plate full with distractions. Miami’s lead-up to the second game will be quite a bit different: At Pittsburgh, against Jets, at Buffalo, and against Baltimore.
Miami’s record 2006: 6-10
Washington Redskins, October 28
How’s this for a schedule stretch: Bye, against Detroit, at Green Bay, against Arizona? That’s what the Washington Redskins will sleep through before heading up to Foxboro to take on New England Patriots.
Washington’s record 2006: 6-10
Indianapolis Colts, November 4
Life is not easy for a reigning Super Bowl champion. Colts will play Jacksonville on Monday Night and Carolina Panthers - both games on the road - before hosting New England Patriots it what could possibly be the most pivotal game of the season for both teams.
Indianapolis’s record 2006: 12-4
Bye, November 11
New England Patriots will get some most likely badly needed rest in mid-November before playing Buffalo Bills on the 18.
Philadelphia Eagles, November 25
Eagles play Miami the week before this showdown at Gillette Stadium.
Philadelphia’s record 2006: 10-6
Baltimore Ravens, December 3
Baltimore Ravens are lucky to be playing in a relatively weak division, provided it actually stays relatively weak in 2007, but there is nothing weak about the Ravens end-of-November, early December schedule: at San Diego, against New England on Monday Night and then against Indianapolis on Sunday Night. The patriots should be in good shape and getting sharp by this time. It’ll be a homecoming of sorts for linebacker Adalius Thomas, a brilliant free-agent off-season acquisition by New England from Baltimore.
Baltimore’s record 2006: 13-3
Pittsburgh Steelers, December 9
Patriots complete their series against AFC North with a home game against Pittsburgh Steelers, who’ll be coming off games at Jets and against Miami (Monday Night Football) and Cincinnati (Sunday Night Football).
Pittsburgh’s record 2006: 8-8
New York Giants, December 29
After capping off a three-game home stand with games against division rivals Jets and Miami, Patriots travel to New York (actually a swamp in New Jersey) to take on the Giants in a sadly rare game for bragging rights in Connecticut (and also between New England old timers who started rooting for Giants before the Patriots existed and younger Patriots fans). Giants have a bit of a hop scotch schedule leading up to the regular-season finale: at Chicago, at Philadelphia, against Washington (Sunday Night), and at Buffalo.
Giants record 2006: 8-8
