Bedard: Reaction/quickie predictions with Patriots 2023 schedule released

Patriots announced Tom Brady will be honored before the home opener, which reportedly is Week 1 vs. Eagles. I assume that will be a primetime game.

Here's the entire schedule, via the Patriots:

Well done by Pats social media:

BEDARD'S THOUGHTS/QUICKIE PREDICTION

• Bye week is a little late in Week 11, but it's not terrible. Patriots will play, including the preseason, 13 consecutive weeks before a rest.
• Four prime-time games, although one on Sunday night is on NFL Network, not Sunday Night Football.
• Patriots only have short rest once, and that's the normal Thursday night game ... on the road at Pittsburgh.
• They have 11 days before facing the Chiefs. The Chiefs will be coming off a showdown with the Bills at home. Big advantage for New England.
• A good start would set the Patriots up well. Eagles, Dolphins, at Jets and Aaron Rodgers, at Cowboys is a rough start. But two winnable games vs. Saints and at Raiders. before Bills and at Miami. 
• Patriots will need to make hay in the Commanders, Colts, Bye, Giants, Chargers and Steelers stretch.
• Patriots avoid any hot weather game. Could have two winter weather games at Denver and Buffalo to close the year.
• I think it's a fairly balanced scheduled, with a tough start. Patriots have to at least split the four-game start.
• Tough stretch ... at Vegas and then home to Bills then at Miami. Three highly charged games back-to-back-to-back, two on the road. Rough
• Worried about the final five games. First four, last five are big trouble. Fast start, good close. Based on how they've finished going back to 2019, I'm not enthused that will suddenly change.
• Instant reaction:

Eagles ... loss
Dolphins ... win
at Jets ... loss
at Dallas ... win (2-2)
Saints ... win (3-2)
at Raiders ... loss (3-3)
Bills ... loss (3-4)
at Dolphins ... loss (3-5)
Commanders ... win (4-5)
Colts ... win (5-5)
BYE
at Giants ... win (6-5)
Chargers ... win (7-5)
at Steelers ... loss (7-6)
Chiefs ... loss (7-7)
at Broncos ... loss (7-8)
at Bills ... loss (7-9)
Jets ... win (8-9).