2022 Patriots schedule finalized: New England set for 5 primetime games, including Thanksgiving with Vikings

Thursday night marked the release of New England’s 17-game slate.

The dates on the 2022 calendar are now circled for the New England Patriots.

New England is set to kick off the regular season at Hard Rock Stadium against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 11, the NFL announced Thursday night. The 1 p.m. ET matinee will mark the third consecutive year that the AFC East counterparts cross paths in Week 1.

A road matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers will follow at Heinz Field for sophomore quarterback Mac Jones and Co. on Sept. 18. The Baltimore Ravens then are slated to visit Gillette Stadium for the delayed home opener on Sept. 25 before it’s off to Lambeau Field to visit league MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

As the pages turn from fall to winter, the lights will turn on for a total of five matchups in primetime with four in a row. Thanksgiving with the Minnesota Vikings as well as a pre-Christmas reunion with former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ Las Vegas Raiders stand among them.

From the preseason through the finale, here is a first look at the Patriots’ schedule. It brings a Week 10 bye.

PRESEASON

• Week 1: vs. New York Giants — TBD
• Week 2: vs. Carolina Panthers — TBD
• Week 3: at Las Vegas Raiders — TBD

REGULAR SEASON

• Week 1: at Miami Dolphins — 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 11
• Week 2: at Pittsburgh Steelers — 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 18
• Week 3: vs. Baltimore Ravens — 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 25
• Week 4: at Green Bay Packers — 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 2
• Week 5: vs. Detroit Lions — 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 9
• Week 6: at Cleveland Browns — 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 16
• Week 7: vs. Chicago Bears — 8:15 p.m. ET Monday, Oct. 24
• Week 8: at New York Jets — 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 30
• Week 9: vs. Indianapolis Colts — 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 6
• Week 10: BYE
• Week 11: vs. New York Jets — 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 20
• Week 12: at Minnesota Vikings — 8:20 p.m. ET Thursday, Nov. 24
• Week 13: vs. Buffalo Bills — 8:15 p.m. ET Thursday, Dec. 1
• Week 14: at Arizona Cardinals — 8:15 p.m. ET Monday, Dec. 12
• Week 15: at Las Vegas Raiders — 8:20 p.m. ET Sunday, Dec. 18
• Week 16: vs. Cincinnati Bengals — 1 p.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 24
• Week 17: vs. Miami Dolphins — 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Jan. 1
• Week 18: at Buffalo Bills — TBD

Head coach Bill Belichick’s roster was booked for three primetime games and a Week 14 bye during the 2021 regular season.

After finishing with a 10-7 record and a 47-17 loss to the division champions in the AFC wild card, the Patriots are currently +4000 to win the Super Bowl, per DraftKings Sportsbook.