The New England Patriots finally catch a bit of a break. After their difficult schedule in each of the last two seasons included brutal matchups, overseas flights and West Coast trips, things ease up in 2025.

The Patriots’ schedule is the second easiest in the NFL based on win projections from betting sites. They play nine home games this year and don’t have a game west of New Orleans, spending 15 of their 17 games in the Eastern time zone. Only five teams are projected to fly fewer miles.

So, yeah, things set up pretty nicely for Mike Vrabel’s first season at the helm.

This season, the Patriots will play each team from the NFC South and AFC North, as well as the 2024 fourth-place teams from the NFC East, AFC South and AFC West.

There are plenty of storylines, too. The schedule comes with a visit to Vrabel’s former franchise when the Pats take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 7. Drake Maye’s hometown Carolina Panthers — a team he grew up cheering for — come to Gillette Stadium in Week 4. And the Pats play three prime-time games this season after only one a year ago.

Let’s delve a little deeper into the 2025 schedule.

The Patriots’ run defense is going to get an early test against a Las Vegas Raiders team it’ll likely be favored against in Foxboro. Pete Carroll loves to run the ball (except for that one certain play involving Malcolm Butler) and used the sixth pick in the draft on Ashton Jeanty. The Patriots don’t have a true run stuffer up the middle after trading Davon Godchaux, but linebacker Robert Spillane should help against the run.

Must-watch game: at Buffalo Bills, Week 5

Sure, this is a game in which the Patriots will be underdogs. But this will be their first big test, a chance to see how far they’ve come under Vrabel. And it’s in prime time on “Sunday Night Football.” The Patriots could enter this game 3-1 after home wins over the Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers and Panthers. If that’s the case, this one will be especially interesting, Vrabel’s first shot at the best team in the division.

Toughest stretch: Weeks 5-7

After a pretty easy start to the season, the Patriots head on the road for three straight games in October — to Buffalo, New Orleans and Tennessee. It’s not that all of those matchups are difficult. The Bills are probably the lone playoff team in that stretch. But three straight road games are tough for any team in the NFL, even if the New Orleans Saints and Titans are among them. Honestly, the Patriots will probably be OK even if they go 1-2 in that stretch.

Game that has gotten tougher: vs. New York Giants, Week 13

Most of you probably have this penciled in as a win for the Patriots, at least if this season is going to be halfway successful. But this prime-time matchup on “Monday Night Football” probably got a bit tougher — because of the schedule. That’s because it’s the Patriots’ final game before their bye, the second-latest bye week a team can get. So it wouldn’t be a shock if the team is a bit banged up heading into this one.

One game the Patriots can’t afford to lose: vs. New York Jets, Week 11

A “Thursday Night Football” matchup at home against a team the Pats have dominated for so long comes sandwiched between trips to play Tampa Bay and Cincinnati. Those are two tough trips. So this game got a bit more important, and the pressure will be on the Patriots to beat up on the team likely to finish behind them in the AFC East, especially since New England’s schedule around this game is pretty difficult.

Best offense the Patriots will face: Cincinnati Bengals, Week 12

It would’ve been easy to put MVP quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills here, and they might well be the best offense the Pats face next season. But the Bengals surprised many around the league by keeping both of their dynamic wide receivers, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, a lethal pair to go with Joe Burrow.

A year ago, the Patriots’ biggest surprise (at least on the positive side) was an upset of the Bengals in the season opener. But this season, the Bengals return the firepower that should again give them one of the league’s top offenses, making it difficult for the Pats to leave Cincinnati with another victory.

Best defense the Patriots will face: Baltimore Ravens, Week 16

It took some time last season for Baltimore to get accustomed to new defensive coordinator Zach Orr. The Ravens uncharacteristically ranked 25th in EPA/play defensively in the first half of last season. But that flipped, and they ranked second in the category in the second half. Then they added to their defense in the draft with first-round safety Malaki Starks before scooping up edge rusher Mike Green, who fell to them in the second round amid character concerns.

They should be loaded again. This matchup will be a tough one for Maye and company.

Predicted record: 8-9

It’s not often a team doubles its win total from the previous year. Or matches its combined win total from the two previous years. But that’ll happen for the Patriots in 2025. I’m skeptical the roster overhaul has been so grand they should double their wins. But the schedule sets up favorably, and I have faith in Maye and Vrabel. Plus, the home slate is relatively easy. So eight wins is where I have them for now.

Predicted AFC East finish: Third

1. Bills
2. Dolphins
3. Patriots
4. Jets

This really doesn’t matter all that much since the Bills will likely be the runaway winners of the division once again. (And the Jets are likely destined for fourth.) But the Dolphins seem stuck between trying to make a run at things and reloading for the long term, so we’ll say they find a way to scrap together nine wins, remaining in NFL purgatory and finishing just ahead of the Patriots in the division while still missing the playoffs.