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2015 New England Patriots Schedule | Season Handicapping Picks

NFL Football – Patriots Analysis

The New England Patriots aim to repeat their Super Bowl success for a second consecutive year, but they’ll have to do it with some kind of a suspension to hallowed starting QB Tom Brady.

Pats Odds

Patriots Odds to Win the 2016 Super Bowl: 9/1
Patriots Odds to Win the 2015-16 AFC East: -200
Patriots Odds to Win the 2015-16 AFC Conference: 9/2
Patriots Over/Under 2015 Win Total: 10.5
***2015 BONUSES***
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In addition to competing in an improving AFC East division, the Pats tangle with the NFC North and East in this year’s schedule, so the road to repeat won’t be easy. However, only very foolish people doubt Hall of Fame head coach Bill Belichick.

Brady is currently suspended for the first four games of the season for “Deflategate” – but it is currently under appeal and the NFL has been known to vacillate. It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see Brady’s ban knocked down to two games.

Let’s break down New England’s 2015 schedule.

(All times Eastern Standard Time)

Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 10, Pittsburgh, 8:30 pm

The Pats start the campaign facing one of the league’s best offenses, and they’ll likely do it without their franchise QB. Odds don’t look good for New England in Week 1 against the Steelers’ lethal WR corps, even without stud RB Le’Veon Bell.

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20 at Buffalo, 1 pm

It’s always a bonus having a road game in western New York early in the season, before the weather turns. The Bills have nasty defensive front seven and an improved offense with another year of seasoning for WR Sammy Watkins and acquiring RB LeSean McCoy. Still, the lack of a good QB really hurts the home side. Maybe give them the benefit of the doubt assuming rookie Jimmy Garoppolo is spinning passes for the Pats.

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Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27, Jacksonville, 1 pm

After years of futility, the Jags are finally making sound football decisions and the arrow is pointed up for this franchise, but they are still the lowly Jaguars with a learning second-year Blake Bortles under center. With or without Brady, the Pats should be nabbing a home win in late September. Expect TE Rob Gronkowski to terrorize Jacksonville’s defensive back seven.

Week 4 BYE

Week 5 Sunday, Oct. 11 at Dallas, 4:25 pm

The status of Brady’s appeal very much weighs into what will happen in this marquee match-up. Dallas’s offensive line is unmatched and they could set the tone versus New England’s defense, especially after parting ways with space-eating DT Vince Wilfork. If Brady’s suspension is reduced and he plays in this game, the Pats are in much better shape against a Dallas defense that will yield points. This should be a dandy.

Week 6 Sunday, Oct. 18 at Indianapolis, 8:30 pm

The Patriots endure back-to-back tricky road games in October, though they’ll at least be fully staffed for the tilt at Lucas Oil Stadium. Colts QB Andrew Luck is one of the most valuable assets in the NFL currently, so New England will have to score and snuff out new RB Frank Gore in order to be successful. The Patriots have had the Colts’s number so many times in the past; it’s not out of the realm of possibility for New England to grab a road win.

Week 7 Sunday, Oct. 25, N.Y. Jets, 1 pm

The Jets sniped former Pat Darrelle Revis in free agency in the 0ff-season, so he should get a gnarly welcome from the Boston faithful. The Jets defense is awesome, especially the unreal defensive line (Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, rookie Leonard Williams) but with an ultimate caretaker QB in Geno Smith, you have to like the Patriots in this one.

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Week 8 Thursday, Oct. 29, Miami, 8:25 pm

New England’s offensive line will have its hands full dealing with new Dolphin DT Ndamukong Suh, who disrupts things all over the field. Miami pivot Ryan Tannehill is also on the up-and-up, but New England is still a deeper and better-run organization than the Fins. That counts for something.

Week 9 Sunday, Nov. 8, Washington, 1 pm

D.C’s football team, still called the Redskins despite building outrage from many, is a complete mess. “Evil Genius” Belichick makes his hay taking advantage of these sorts of teams; embattled Washington QB Robert Griffin III should have a miserable afternoon at Foxboro – if he still has the starting job by midseason.

Week 10 Sunday, Nov. 15 at N.Y. Giants, 4:25 pm

You never know what you’re going to get when you face the G-Men, but with New England’s diminished secondary (Revis and tall CB Brandon Browner are gone) Eli Manning and WRs Odell Beckham and Victor Cruz should make some sweet music. The Pats must control the ball if they are to leave the Big Apple with a victory.

Week 11 Monday, Nov. 23, Buffalo, 8:30 pm

If new face Matt Cassel – a man that once guided the Patriots to an 11-5 season – can play adequate QB for Buffalo, the Bills will be a good team. They could well have it figured out by this point in the season, so it could be a tricky game for the reigning Super Bowl champs. Having said that, we’re talking about Buffalo. Never underestimate the crappiness of Buffalo.

Week 12 Sunday, Nov. 29 at Denver, 8:30 pm

The aging prizefighters meet up again. The Tom Brady/Peyton Manning rivalry is among the best in sports over the past decade or so, but both are slowing down to some degree. Brady looked a lot better than Manning last year, though the former Colt was battling a significant leg injury. Broncos WRs Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders should plague New England’s DBs, and that might be the difference – if wet-noodle armed Manning can get them the ball.

Week 13 Sunday, Dec. 6, Philadelphia, 4:25 pm

Nobody quite knows what Chip Kelly is doing in Philly, but with RB DeMarco Murray and LB Kiko Alonso on board, with the Eagles’ pre-existing solid players, they’re still a tough out. Ultimately, the Pats get Philly at home late in the season, which is a notable advantage. Brady should be able to find Gronk and slippery WR Julian Edelman and lead his side to a win.

Week 14 Sunday, Dec. 13 at Houston, 1 pm

The Texans are a well-apportioned club but like so many, they find themselves lacking at quarterback. When you are facing Brady and a seasoned offense late in the season, that usually makes all the difference. New England should be successful in east Texas.

Week 15 Sunday, Dec. 20 Tennessee, 1 pm

The Titans are in the midst of a rebuild and expect the home side to take full advantage of it. These are the types of games New England must put in the bank if it is to pull out another divisional crown in a rapidly improving East division.

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Week 16 Sunday, Dec. 27 at N.Y. Jets, 1 pm

New England’s second trip to the Meadowlands in this regular season will be a daunting task, especially if Smith or someone else can deliver the ball to WR Eric Decker and TE Jace Amaro. The Pats usually handle their business inside the division near the end of the season.

Week 17, Sunday, Jan. 3 at Miami, 1 pm

You can’t complain much when you finish the season out, mid-winter, in south Florida. Why do the Patriots get all the breaks? All kidding aside, this game could absolutely have divisional implications, especially if Tannehill takes the next step in his development.

More NFL Teams Schedule / Pick Posts

 
Arizona Cardinals Seattle Seahawks New York Jets
New York Giants San Francisco 49ers Buffalo Bills
St. Louis Rams Carolina Panthers New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Bucs New Orleans Saints Indianapolis Colts
Atlanta Falcons Kansas City Chiefs Tennessee Titans
San Diego Chargers Miami Dolphins Cleveland Browns
Green Bay Packers Washington Redskins Cincinnati Bengals
Philadelphia Eagles Dallas Cowboys Baltimore Ravens
Oakland Raiders Detroit Lions Pittsburgh Steelers
Denver Broncos Minnesota Vikings Chicago Bears
Jacksonville Jaguars Houston Texans

The 2015 NFL futures betting season is right around the corner! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting.

CappersPicks.com has NFL odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find NFL lines up for early games as well.

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By James Hayes

James has been naming every player on the EA Sports video game rosters for half a decade now, he’s finally putting his knowledge to better use writing for us here at CappersPicks.com. Your comments are welcome below…Give Us Your Take!