Santa Belichick: Patriots Playing on Christmas?
This season could produce something old and something new for the New England Patriots.
Old: The return of "Pat Patriot" uniforms?
New: A first-ever game on Christmas?
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After next week's NFL Draft in which the Patriots will likely focus on their defense, we can start focusing on the 2022 season. Specifically, the schedule.
For years Christmas has belonged to the NBA, with its "unofficial" tip-off to the season featuring 12 hours of games. But this year Christmas falls on Sunday, so ... Santa will have lots of competition.
The NFL plans to maximize this opportunity for home-bound viewers by airing a triple-header on Dec. 25 for the first time in league history.
There will be two afternoon games - on CBS and Fox - before NBC hosts a prime-time matchup. That week will also feature the regular Thursday night game on Dec. 22, 11 games on Dec. 24, plus a Monday night matchup Dec. 26.
“Christmas, when it falls on an NFL game day, we’ve had a lot of success there, all due respect to our friends at the NBA. It is something that our friends are interested in,” NFL vice president of broadcasting Mike North told WGR radio host Sal Capaccio this week. “If Christmas falls on a Sunday, it makes perfect sense.”
The NFL has played 27 games on Christmas, but never a triple-header menu. Last year's Packers-Browns game was the third-most watched game of the regular season.
This year’s matchups will be announced the week of May 9.
Getty Images (2); AP, New York Post
The Patriots have never payed on Christmas, but figure to be an attractive network option because of their unprecedented heritage, large following and mix of old (Bill Belichick) and new (Mac Jones) stars.
A couple days after the Christmas announcement, the NFL on May 12 will reveal the Patriots' and rest of the league's full schedule.
International games will be revealed May 4, and the Patriots could play in one of those as well. The Arizona Cardinals are expected to have a "home" game at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and the Patriots are a possible, attractive "road" opponent.
How does the scheduling format work?
Six games are made up from their AFC East opponents (home and away). Four are against teams from another division within the conference (rotating three-year cycle), with four being played against teams from an NFC division (rotating four-year cycle). Two games are played within AFC, based on the standings of the prior year. And finally one game will be played against an NFC team, also based on the prior year.
Bad news: New England will have nine road games because in the first season of the 17-game format, the Patriots had nine at home.
Since New England finished second in the AFC East, it will play the second-place schedule.
Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts
Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals
