NFL
By Steve Atkinson
The Patriots’ schedule was released, with the opener in Seattle on September 9th on NBC. ESPN and NFL Network quickly tweeted that it’s the Super Bowl rematch, but I’m sorry, that’s not the main story.
The real story is the Vrabel-Russini situation, whether people want to believe it or not. The Patriots dominated the offseason discussions, so it’s obvious they were chosen to open the season when Seattle raises their Super Bowl banner. The Super Bowl itself was disappointing and not very exciting; most local talk on the radio will focus on Vrabel leading up to the game, while ESPN will hype the Super Bowl rematch.
The Patriots’ schedule is more challenging than last year, with five prime-time games, including the opener and the Germany game.
Tom Brady will make his broadcasting debut in Foxborough against the Packers, and the Patriots will face the Chiefs on Monday Night Football. Like last year, I expect the Patriots to be around 2-2 in September. I believe they’ll beat Buffalo at least once, as they did last year. I also assume the Patriots will acquire A.J. Brown in a few weeks, which would make their receiving corps similar to Stefon Diggs.
The Patriots were the headliner this offseason
The Chargers poked fun at the Vrabel-Russini situation in their schedule release video, which ESPN mentioned on their schedule show by saying, “went there,” before going to commercial. The NFL probably won’t investigate teams that mock the Vrabel-Russini situation in their videos, and they probably shouldn’t.
The Patriots should sweep the Jets and Dolphins this year, easily securing four wins. They also play Denver at home in late December, which is more difficult than last year’s games at the end of the season.
Patriots should win ten games.
I think the Patriots should win ten games, but they also need to get off to a good start. If they start going on a losing streak, the Vrabel Russini situation will come up on podcasts and local radio. Not ESPN, though they’ll talk around it, it’s more important for the Patriots to get off to a good start this year, more than last year, because of the Vrabel situation.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the NFL tells the refs to give Patriots calls during close game situations. Because of the Vrabel situation, I think for the most part the NFL wants it to go away, but giving Patriots calls late in games that allow them to win puts a cover on the Vrabel situation because winning cures everything. Patriots should win ten games as I said and be in the playoffs, though maybe even win the AFC East again.
