The 2016 season wasn't just another year for New England. Honestly, it felt like a four-month-long middle finger to the rest of the league. You remember the vibe. Deflategate was the only thing anyone talked about, Tom Brady was sitting out for the first four games, and the "experts" were lining up to predict the end of a dynasty. Looking back at the ne patriots 2016 schedule, it’s clear that the path to Super Bowl LI was paved with equal parts chaos and cold, hard efficiency.
The NFL handed down a schedule that looked like a gauntlet. It started with a trip to Arizona without their Hall of Fame quarterback. Most teams would have crumbled under that kind of pressure. The Patriots? They just got weirder and better.
Opening Without Brady: The Jimmy and Jacoby Show
The first quarter of the ne patriots 2016 schedule was supposed to be the "downfall." Week 1 saw the Pats heading into University of Phoenix Stadium to face a Cardinals team that many picked to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Jimmy Garoppolo stepped in, looked like a seasoned vet, and led a 23-21 win. It was a statement.
Then came the injuries.
Garoppolo went down against Miami in Week 2 after throwing three touchdowns in basically twenty minutes. Suddenly, the world met Jacoby Brissett. He was a rookie. He was raw. He beat the Houston Texans 27-0 on a short-week Thursday Night Football game with a busted thumb. That 3-1 start during Brady's suspension is arguably the most impressive coaching job of Bill Belichick’s career. People forget how close they came to going 4-0; that Week 4 shutout loss to the Bills was ugly, sure, but the mission was already accomplished. The team survived.
🔗 Read more: College Football Top 10: What Most People Get Wrong About the 2026 Rankings
The Return and the Mid-Season Steamroll
When Brady came back in Week 5 against Cleveland, the energy changed. It wasn't just football anymore; it was a vendetta. He threw for 406 yards. In Cleveland. He looked like he hadn't aged a day, and frankly, he looked pissed off.
The ne patriots 2016 schedule then moved into a rhythm that felt inevitable.
- Week 6 vs. Cincinnati: A 35-17 thumping where Rob Gronkowski decided to remind everyone why he’s the most dominant tight end ever.
- Week 7 at Pittsburgh: No Ben Roethlisberger for the Steelers, and LeGarrette Blount ran all over his former team. 27-16 Pats.
- Week 8 at Buffalo: Revenge for the Week 4 shutout. Brady tossed four touchdowns. Rex Ryan looked like he wanted to be anywhere else on earth.
Then came the bye week. Usually, teams use the bye to heal. The Patriots used it to trade Jamie Collins to Cleveland, a move that absolutely baffled the fan base and the media. It was "The Patriot Way" at its most ruthless. Critics said the defense would fall apart.
Handling the Late-Season Grinds
The second half of the season featured a few scares. The Sunday Night loss to Seattle in Week 10 was a classic—a goal-line stand by the Seahawks that felt like a Super Bowl XLIX flashback in reverse. But that loss was the last time the Patriots would taste defeat for a long, long time.
💡 You might also like: Cleveland Guardians vs Atlanta Braves Matches: Why This Interleague Rivalry Hits Different
November and December were about grit. You had the close call at MetLife against the Jets (22-17) and a physical battle against the Ravens on Monday Night Football. That Ravens game was peak 2016 Patriots. Chris Hogan caught a 79-yard bomb to seal it. Hogan, a former lacrosse player whom the Pats snatched from Buffalo, was the quintessential "random guy" who became a hero that year.
By the time the ne patriots 2016 schedule hit the final stretch, the defense had actually become the highest-scoring unit in the league—well, the lowest-points-allowed unit, technically. Matty Patricia’s "bend but don't break" scheme was frustrating to watch at times, but it worked. They ended the regular season by annihilating the Dolphins in Miami, 35-14, securing a 14-2 record and the top seed.
The Playoff Run Nobody Saw Coming (But Everyone Should Have)
The postseason was a masterclass. First, they handled a feisty Houston Texans defense that actually managed to intercept Brady twice. Most quarterbacks would have rattled. Brady just kept throwing to Julian Edelman and Dion Lewis until the score was 34-16.
The AFC Championship against Pittsburgh was a clinic. Chris Hogan—there he is again—went for 180 yards and two scores. The Steelers played zone defense against Tom Brady in 2016. Honestly, what were they thinking? You don't play zone against the GOAT on a mission. The 36-17 victory felt like a foregone conclusion by the end of the third quarter.
📖 Related: Cincinnati vs Oklahoma State Basketball: What Most People Get Wrong About This Big 12 Grind
Why This Specific Schedule Matters Now
If you look at the ne patriots 2016 schedule in its entirety, you see the blueprint for how a dynasty sustains itself. It wasn't just about Brady. It was about Martellus Bennett filling in when Gronk’s back gave out. It was about Trey Flowers emerging as a pass-rushing force. It was about Malcolm Butler proving he wasn't just a one-hit-wonder from the Seattle Super Bowl.
The season culminated, of course, in the 28-3 comeback against Atlanta. But that comeback doesn't happen without the mental toughness forged during those first four weeks in September. They learned how to win without their best player. They learned how to ignore the noise from Park Avenue and the commissioner's office.
Actionable Insights for Football Historians and Fans
If you're looking back at this season to understand how the NFL has changed, or if you're a bettor looking at historical trends, keep these things in mind:
- Roster Depth over Star Power: The 2016 Pats lost Gronkowski mid-season. Most teams would fold. They transitioned to a heavy-set running game with Blount (who had 18 TDs) and relied on "Swiss Army Knife" players like James White.
- The "Script" Matters: Look at how the Patriots handled the short weeks in 2016. They were 2-0 on games with less than six days of rest. That’s pure coaching and preparation.
- Defensive Efficiency: Don't just look at yards allowed. The 2016 defense allowed the fewest points in the league (15.6 per game) despite giving up significant yardage. It’s about red zone stops and forced field goals.
- The Revenge Factor: Psychology is real in the NFL. When a veteran team feels slighted by the league, their focus levels tend to skyrocket. We saw it in 2007, and we saw it again in 2016.
To truly appreciate what happened, go back and watch the Week 3 game against Houston. A third-string rookie QB, a defense playing out of their minds, and a coaching staff that squeezed every ounce of talent out of the roster. That was the soul of the 2016 New England Patriots. They didn't just survive the suspension; they used it as fuel for a fire that eventually burned down the rest of the league.