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The New England Patriots have one of the hardest schedules in the NFL in 2023.
The season starts with a game against the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles and ends in a rivalry matchup with a New York Jets team led by Aaron Rodgers in January. In between those two games is a full season slate that includes meetings with the Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs and of course, the Buffalo Bills.
This is certainly not going to be easy for a Patriots team looking to establish a new offensive identity after a 9-8 season. However, new pieces on both sides of the football should help, as New England looks to get back on the winning track.
How do the players feel about the schedule gauntlet? Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald was able to get an idea, as transcribed by NESN.com’s Dakota Randall.
“I think you could look at their schedule, and that would be the starting point for if the Patriots season is going to bottom out,” said Callahan, during an appearance on Thursday’s episode of 98 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Rich” show. “Because they don’t get a break. And that’s something that I know that they’re aware of — because hey, they can look at the schedule. But in texting with a few players, they’re like, ‘You know, there are no slacks here. There is no breather, there is no anything like that.'”
The Patriots will have an uphill battle ahead of them. However, they have several positive factors in play heading into the 2023 season, including new offensive coordinator Bill O Brien and only one missing piece from a defense that was strong in 2022.
Nevertheless, the Patriots seem cognizant of the upcoming challenge.
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