If the Patriots are in fact forced to open the season without Tom Brady at least they'll get do so mostly at home.
The NFL schedule was announced Thursday and after opening the 2016 campaign with a Sunday night trip to Chandler Jones and the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 11, New England will enjoy three straight home games at Gillette Stadium to close out the first quarter of the season.
That means if Jimmy Garoppolo is forced to take the reins and open the season at quarterback he'll start most of those games in Foxborough. The Patriots will host division rivals Miami (Sept. 18) and Buffalo (Oct. 2) sandwiched around a visit from Houston on Thursday night (Sept. 22).
In the event that Brady is suspended and misses the first month, he would return Oct. 9 in Cleveland for a Week 5 matchup with the Browns.
In addition to the opener and the Thursday night affair, the Patriots will appear in prime time on at least three other occasions (the NFL's flex scheduling could add one to that list, as was the case in 2015) – coming out of the bye in what could be a potential Super Bowl preview in Week 10 against Seattle (Nov. 13), Week 12 at the Jets (Nov. 27) and Week 14 against the Ravens on "Monday Night Football." That would mean three night games in a five-week span last in the season, which could represent a difficult stretch.
The Ravens game will be followed by a trip to Denver before the Patriots close out the campaign on Saturday, Christmas Eve at home against the Jets and a trip to Miami on New Year's Day. Unlike in 2015 when the Patriots closed with four road games in the final six weeks, the last six games are split evenly with three each at home and on the road.
While it's difficult to project how a schedule will play out, the most challenging games would appear to be the prime time games plus a trip to Pittsburgh on Oct. 23.
Any schedule reveal would be incomplete without some input from Andy Hart in terms of results. Just in case anyone is interested here's how Andy sees the schedule unfolding: L, W, W, W, W, W, L, W, W, W, W, W, L, W, W, L – that comes out to 12-4. He also would like to qualify the first four games should Brady be suspended. He's adding a loss to Houston in that event.
The Patriots will visit the following stadiums during the 2016 NFL season.
A general interior overall view inside the Ralph Wilson Stadium during the week seventeen regular season NFL football game, New York Jets against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Jan.3, 2016 in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bills beat the Jets 22 - 17. (David Drapkin via AP)
A general view of play is seen during an NFL football game between the New York Giants against the Miami Dolphins on Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, Miami Gardens, Fla. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
A general, overall view of the interior of MetLife stadium during the week one game between the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets on Sunday, September 13, 2015 at MetLife Stadium, Florham Park, New Jersey. The Jets beat the Browns, 31-10. (David Drapkin via AP)
FirstEnergy Stadium stands tall in this wide angle, general view photograph taken before the Cleveland Browns 2015 week 8 regular season NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015 in Cleveland. The Cardinals won the game 34-20. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
A general, overall view of the interior of Heinz Field as seen from the upper deck while fans watch the action on the playing field during a week 15 NFL football game between the Denver Broncos against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, December 20, 2015, in Pittsburgh. The Steelers won 34-27. (Scott Boehm via AP)
A general, overall view of the interior of University of Phoenix Stadium as fans watch the action on the playing field during the week three game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, September 27, 2015 at University of Phoenix Stadium , Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals beat the 49ers, 47- 7. (David Drapkin via AP)
General view of the exterior of Levi's Stadium before the NFL week 2 regular NFL game against the Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014 in Santa Clara, Calif. The Bears won the game 28-20. (AP Photo/Ric Tapia)
A general, overall view of the interior of Sports Authority Field at Mile High as seen from the upper deck level and fans watch the action on the playing field from the stands during the NFL AFC Championship playoff football game between the New England Patriots against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016, in Denver. The Broncos won 20-18. (Scott Boehm via AP)
