With the combination of a relatively easy September schedule and an improved roster, there are no excuses for the Patriots to not get off to a strong start.
Three out of New England's first four games are at home, with Las Vegas, Carolina, and Pittsburgh all coming to Foxborough. The one road trip is to Miami in Week 2, and given the Patriots haven't won in South Florida since 2019, a 3-1 start is a realistic goal.
Thanks to the Steelers and Aaron Rodgers linking up this week, the chances of that type of start for New England grew increasingly realistic. The 41-year-old Rodgers doesn't take care of his body the way Tom Brady did during the second half of his career, and often seems more interested in doing podcasts with conservative politicians than bonding with his new teammates.
That, combined with the fact that J.J. Watt is grumbling about his contract and Mike Tomlin could be on the hot seat, there appears to be a lot of drama brewing in the Steel City.
The Patriots have a solid chance at starting the 2025 season off much better than anticipated
The potential chaos in Pittsburgh could be good news for a Patriots team that will see the Steelers early in the season. Experts believe the Steelers will have to fight just to make the playoffs, and they're not wrong, given they face Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow twice.
Seeing the Steelers early in the season, specifically in Week 3, will be impeccable timing for the Patriots to play this team. Rodgers is going to need time to connect with his new wide receivers, and Watt's holdout could serve as a distraction. Pittsburgh could be a team that improves in the second half of the season, so this Week 3 matchup appears to be shifting in favor of New England.
On the contrary, the Patriots had one of the best offseasons in the league between the reconstruction of the roster and the coaching staff. The only drama during the Patriots' offseason stemmed from who the team would bring in to be the top wide receiver, and that issue was solved with the signing of Stefon Diggs.
Pittsburgh is a team New England needs to take care of at home. The Steelers still have a solid defense that will present challenges for Drake Maye and the offense, but there's no excuse for not winning this game at home and building towards a possible 3-1 start.