Getty Jarrett Stidham and the Patriots early tests will come from NFC West teams
We won’t know all of the details of the New England Patriots‘ 2020 NFL schedule until Thursday evening, but the first four games of the AFC East powerhouse’s ledger appeared to have leaked … until there was already a twist in the reports.
Andrew Filipponi of 937 The Fan spoke with NFL insider John Clayton on Wednesday, and the latter stated that the first four weeks of the season would feature NFC vs. AFC games.
.@JohnClaytonNFL tells @937theFan that the NFL schedule will be NFC vs AFC for the 1st 4 weeks of the season. Steelers play the NFC East. So 1st 4 games would be Cowboys, Eagles, Redskins, and Giants.
Because we already know the AFC East will play the NFC West this season, we could have figured who the Patriots’ opponents would be in the first four weeks of the NFL season. That is until there was a twist in the reports that came out. As NFL analyst Nick Underhill reported, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady are reportedly opening their season against the division rival New Orleans Saints.
Source: Saints to open season against Bucs, and some other highlights from the 2020 schedule t.co/Dc0arCpQdV via @NOdotFootball
Assuming that stands true, then it remains a major question mark as to what the first four games of the season will look like for the Patriots.
A More Likely Scenario
As updated reports begin to surface, it appears the NFC vs. AFC rumors were untrue, though they originated with credible sources.
The latest report, from Glenn Ordway of WEEI, suggests the Patriots will begin the season at home against the Miami Dolphins.
This matchup would have some spice as former Patriots assistant and current Dolphins head coach Brian Flores has been able to lure three prominent players from his former team to Miami.
During the offseason, Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts, and Ted Karras all signed deals to join the Dolphins. Those three players and Flores will be returning to Gillette Stadium, per the report
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Other Highlights of This Potential Schedule
Welcoming Jimmy Garoppolo back to Gillette Stadium for the first time as a foe will carry a little bit of appeal. Had Garoppolo not been traded to the Niners, he might be set to start his first season as the Patriots’ QB1.
As of now, last year’s fourth-round selection, Jarrett Stidham readies himself to take the reins of the Patriots’ offense, and it will be interesting to see the new leader of the team take on the man who might have been Brady’s successor.
The young and suddenly unproven Patriots would get a stiff test against the Seattle Seahawks on the road. CenturyLink Field is arguably the toughest place to play in the NFL for an opposing team. The Seahawks have had some .500 years there over the past four seasons, but are still 22-11 at home since 2016.
Also, corralling Russell Wilson is never a fun assignment.
Kyler Murray is a player who has drawn some comparisons to Wilson because of his height and ability as a dual-threat QB. He could be a budding star in the NFL, and the Patriots will want to ensure he doesn’t have a breakout performance against them.
Stay tuned for more information on the Patriots and the rest of the 2020 NFL schedule as it becomes available.
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