Overview
- New England starts with the Seahawks, Steelers, Jaguars and Bills, and CBS Sports says their 2025 records combine to a .721 slate that is the toughest first four weeks in 40 years.
- The first three opponents won their divisions in 2025, a season-opening stretch that CBS Sports’ John Breech notes no team has faced since the 2019 Dolphins.
- Three of those games come on the road, including a cross‑country trip to Seattle and a hostile AFC East date in Buffalo, which cuts practice time and adds travel wear on players.
- The tougher start follows a 2025 path eased by a 4‑13 finish in 2024, as expectations now ride on last season’s Super Bowl run, Drake Maye’s growth, and talk of a possible A.J. Brown signing.
- Both CBS Sports and The Sporting News cast the opening month as an early barometer for whether New England is a real contender, while cautioning against sweeping judgments after four games.