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Schedule analysis

The Patriots may have the easiest schedule in the league in 2008 when it comes to the numbers -- their opponents were a combined 99-157 last year, a .387 win percentage -- but it won't be that easy.

With four West Coast road trips, New England could potentially log 13,000 miles in the air this year; it is the first time since 1986 (L.A. Raiders, L.A. Rams, 49ers, Seahawks) that the team will play four games out west. Last year, the longest trip for the Pats was Dallas, which came in Week 5.

Here's our humble observations:

* The bye week is in the earliest possible week, Week 4, and comes with only one road game -- the shortest, at the Jets -- crossed off.

* The West Coast trips are in pairs, which may mean the team will stay out in the Pacific time zone on the in-between week to cut down on travel and fatigue. New England is at San Francisco and at San Diego in Weeks 5 and 6, and at Seattle and Oakland in Weeks 14 and 15.

* New England closes out the season with road games in three of their last four weeks.

* The Pats play back-to-back prime-time games in Weeks 6 and 7 -- they'll face the Chargers in the first and host the Broncos in the second.

* New England will have a short week of preparation in Week 11 -- it hosts the Jets for a Thursday night game, the first Thursday night tilt at Gillette Stadium.

* In all, New England is currently slated to play five prime-time games: in San Diego, home against Denver, in Indianapolis, home against the Jets and in Seattle. The Seahawks game could be flexed. The maximum per team is six night games in a season; last year, New England was in six.

* However, the team is scheduled to have five home games kickoff at 1 p.m.; last year, there were three.

* This is the ninth time in the last six years (including playoffs) that the Pats and Colts will play; the teams stopped being division rivals in 2001, when Indy was realigned into the AFC South. It is the second straight year the teams will meet in Week 9; last year, both teams were undefeated when they met at the RCA Dome. This year, the Colts open Lucas Oil Stadium, which has a retractable roof.

New England will be looking to continue its 19-game regular-season winning streak, and also its 10-game regular season road win streak.

The Patriots are 275-272-8 all-time against their 13 opponents.

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Patriots release 2008 regular-season schedule

Here's the raw data; we'll be back with analysis after we take a better look:

Sunday, Sept. 7 -- Kansas City Chiefs, 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Sept. 14 -- at New York Jets, 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Sept. 21 -- Miami Dolphins, 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Sept. 28 -- BYE WEEK
Sunday, Oct. 5 -- at San Francisco 49ers, 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Oct. 12 -- at San Diego Chargers, 8:15 p.m. (NBC)
Monday, Oct. 20 -- Denver Broncos, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sunday, Oct. 26 -- St. Louis Rams, 1:00 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, Nov. 2 -- at Indianapolis Colts, 8:15 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Nov. 9 -- Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Thursday, Nov. 13 -- New York Jets, 8:15 p.m. (NFL Network)
Sunday, Nov. 23 -- at Miami Dolphins, 1:00 p.m. * (CBS)
Sunday, Nov. 30 -- Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:15 p.m. * (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 7 -- at Seattle Seahawks, 8:15 p.m.* (NBC)
Sunday, Dec. 14 -- at Oakland Raiders, 4:15 p.m.* (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 21 -- Arizona Cardinals, 1:00 p.m.* (FOX)
Sunday, Dec. 28 -- at Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. * (CBS)

* - Games are subject to change under the NFL's flex scheduling

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments 0