Way Too Early 2022 Patriots Season Predictions

As the 2021 season winds to a bitter end, the 2022 schedule is starting to take shape. And while the details of when the teams will play aren’t released yet, we now know who will be playing who. And if we’re being honest, I really like the Patriots odds next year based on who they got.

Our 2022 opponents are officially set.

The annual acquaintances, a visit up North & more of what to expect on next season's schedule: https://t.co/KVh0Fj67ju

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 10, 2022

HOME: Ravens, Bills, Bears, Bengals, Lions, Colts, Dolphins, Jets

AWAY: Cardinals, Bills, Browns, Packers, Raiders, Dolphins, Vikings, Jets, Steelers

Now, the fun part about doing this is that we have no idea what’s going to be going on with half these teams. Coaching changes, Quarterback decisions. So many moving parts! But I’ll do my best, look into my NFL crystal ball and let you know what the Pats record will be next season. Let’s begin.

HOME:

Ravens: The Baltimore Ravens get the Award for “Team Most Ravaged By Injuries” in 2021. The biggest among those injuries was Lamar Jackson. And it’s that very issue that makes me believe the Pats have the edge here. The issue with how Jackson plays is that it’s not built for a long shelf life. The hits and nagging pains are adding up and it’s only a matter of time before Jackson changes the way he plays. And if Lamar can’t threaten you as much with his legs, he becomes a very beatable quarterback. And the Ravens defense is nothing to write home about either, so I’m giving the Patriots the W here.

Bills: Like it or not, Buffalo isn’t going anywhere. Regardless of how overrated or overhyped they may be, they’re here to stay for a bit. I think the Patriots are destined to split the season series with this team for years to come. So this one is pretty straight forward: it’ll be another rock fight, but the Patriots pull out the win at home here.

Bears: Chicago has, finally, fired their HC Matt Nagy which, aside from drafting Justin Fields, is one of the few correct decisions they’ve made in years. But even though Fields has skill, I don’t see a first year HC (with this team) coming into Foxboro and beating New England. The days of the Bears winning behind their stellar defense is long gone. And even though they have a young, talented QB, it won’t be enough. Another Patriots win.

Bengals: Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are really, really good together. The fact that the Bengals are in the playoffs this year is proof of that. This game strikes me as one of those games where the Patriots lose and every talk show the next day is crying how the “sky is falling” and “is this team for real” or whatever else they conjure up. It hurts me to say it, but I think this is Cincinnati’s biggest win of their season.

Lions: I mean, I’m not gonna keep you here longer than you need to be. It’s the Lions. Personally, I like them! They show a ton of fight. But this is a fight they’re going to lose. Patriots win.

Colts: Belichick makes a statement with this one. He’ll take a year, lick his wounds, learn from this mistakes and come out in dominating fashion here. Carson Wentz is still Carson Wentz (very average) so it’s all about stopping Jonathan Taylor. I think Bill figures it out and picks up a huge win.

Dolphins: Miami fired Brian Flores for…reasons unknown to anyone with a brain. All signs point to them going after Deshaun Watson this offseason even though we don’t know if he’ll be able to play or not. Whether it’s Watson or Tua, though, I see the Patriots getting a close win here.

Jets: It’s the Jets. Patriots win.

AWAY:

Cardinals: Regardless of how I feel about Kyler Murray, the kid makes plays. I can envision a 4th quarter where the score is close, the Patriots need a stop and Murray scampers free for a big run setting up a game winning field goal. I hate to say it, but this is a close loss.

Bills: I said it earlier, but I think the Patriots split the season series with Buffalo. So since I think they’re winning at home, they’re losing on the road. Will it be close? A blowout? Division games are too close to call. But I think this is a loss for our Pats.

Browns: This will be a replay of what happened this year. Not particularly close. Kind of boring by the time the 3rd quarter comes to a close. The Browns continue what I’m sure will be another disappointing season with a home loss to the Pats here.

Packers: This one is simple to me: If Aaron Rodgers is on the team, they win. If he’s not, the Patriots win. That easy. And I don’t think Rodgers returns to Green Bay so…New England gets the W.

Raiders: For some reason, I’m just not afraid of the Raiders. Derek Carr is fine. Their defense is okay. But they just don’t scare me one bit. I’m sure they’ll keep it close but the Patriots win here.

Dolphins: The Curse of Miami continues for the Patriots. I don’t know what deal with which devil the Dolphins made, but it pays off here. Miami wins in a ‘shocker’ even though we shouldn’t be shocked anymore.

Vikings: Minnesota will have a new head coach for this game, but that’s not their Achilles heel. Kirk Cousins will be the reason the Vikings lose here. Dalvin Cook may have himself a day, but Kirk makes some boneheaded play and causes a few turnovers leading to a comfortable Patriots win.

Jets: It’s the Jets…come on. Moving on…

Steelers: With Big Ben finally retiring two years later than he should have, Pittsburgh is going to fade into a painful decline. I think the boo birds come out here for the home team as the Pats ROUTE the Steelers.

Conclusion: 13-4 – #2 Seed

Yeah sure, it may seem like an aggressive record, but look where this team is coming from. Year One with a rookie QB and a ton of pieces who still have yet to completely jell together yet. They ended this year at 10-7, so assuming 3 more wins isn’t as crazy as you may think. Assuming Mac Jones continues to progress, the offensive weapons settle in and the defense continues to impress, 13-4 is very realistic for the Patriots in 2022.

(Featured Photo Credit www.masslive.com)

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Mike Sullivan (@msully5433 on Twitter)