The NFL schedule will officially be released in full Wednesday night.
And with everyone doing mock drafts ahead of the NFL Draft, why not do a mock Patriots schedule? It isn’t all random as there have been a few hints relating to a few games.
Keep in mind this is the NFL’s first 17-game season and the Patriots' extra game is hosting the Cowboys.
Here’s our mock Patriots schedule for 2021.
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 12 vs. Miami — 1:00
For a second straight year, the Patriots will host the Dolphins in the season opener. It could feature a battle of Alabama teammates at the quarterback position in Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones, but it’s likely Cam Newton starts Week 1, not Jones.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 19 vs. New Orleans — 1:00
New Orleans doesn’t have the same buzz without Drew Brees under center, as otherwise this could have been a late-year matchup for a national TV audience.
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 26 at Carolina — 1:00
It feels like this game will be early in the season to try and ensure Newton is the quarterback of the Patriots when he faces his former team.
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3 at Atlanta — 1:00
There’s a chance the Patriots could play the Falcons in London, but New England just played an International game in 2017. It doesn’t feel like the NFL would have them play two games in five years outside the country.
Week 5: Thursday, Oct. 7 vs. Jacksonville — 8:15
Bill Belichick will reunite with good friend Urban Meyer for a Thursday night game at Gillette Stadium. It will also feature Trevor Lawrence in perhaps his first national television game in the NFL.
Week 6: Monday, Oct. 18 at Buffalo — 8:15
Buffalo deserves a Monday Night Football game after its successful 2020 season and what better way to get Bills Mafia going than having New England come to town.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24 vs. Buccaneers — 4:25
This is obviously the game everyone is looking to with Tom Brady returning to Gillette Stadium for the first time. All the networks will be fighting for this, but ultimately we expect it to be a regular late game for FOX. Robert Kraft will likely be pushing against it being a night game, and he does hold some clout with television execs.
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31 vs. New York (Jets) — 1:00
The Jets certainly are trending in the right direction with some positive moves this offseason. This should be Zach Wilson’s first of many starts against New England.
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7 at Indianapolis — 1:00
This could either be a tough game against a good Colts team, or Carson Wentz gets off to a bad start to the year making for a very winnable game on the road.
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 14 vs. Dallas — 8:15
This matchup will generate massive ratings with two very big fan bases and it just feels like this game is perfect for Sunday Night Football.
Week 11: Bye
A mid-November bye week would be good for the team as it can gear up and get fresh for what likely will be a late-season run at a playoff spot, and maybe even another division title.
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28 at Los Angeles (Chargers) - 4:25
For the second straight season, the Patriots will take on the Chargers in LA. This potentially could be a primetime game, but for now we’ll keep it a standard Sunday afternoon game.
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5 vs. Tennessee — 8:15
This has the potential to be a playoff preview in a good late-season matchup and there’s also the Mike Vrabel-Belichick storyline to go along with it. This makes a ton of sense for Sunday Night Football.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12 at Houston — 1:00
Houston figures to be in for a long season and this could be New England’s easiest matchup in the second half of the season.
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 19 vs. Buffalo — 1:00
Buffalo figures to be New England’s biggest competition in the division and this figures to have major implications when it comes to that — or at least the Patriots hope.
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26 vs. Cleveland — 1:00
Cleveland is one of the biggest wild cards in the league, as it has the potential to be one of the elite teams in the AFC or a team that misses the playoffs. If the former is the case, this will be a terrific late-season matchup, and tough one for the Patriots.
Week 17: Saturday, Jan. 1 at Miami — 8:15
The Patriots have ended the last few years at home, so it seems like they are due to end the year on the road. The NFL will have two games on this Saturday and it feels the league would want to try to make sure the game has playoff implications and this one should.
Week 18: Sunday, Jan. 9 at New York (Jets) — 1:00
The NFL prefers to end the year with division games and like with Miami, the Patriots have hosted the Jets the last week of the season a few times now, so it makes sense for New England to end the year away from home.