2026 New England Patriots Preview (Ep. 2642)

New England Patriots Preview

New England Patriots Podcast Recap

Sean Green (@SeanTGreen) and Ryan Kramer (@KramerCentric) are talking best bets in their 2026 New England Patriots preview podcast. They’re joined by Cody Zeeb (@Husker_Zeeb) from the Nascar Gambling Podcast to talk New England Patriots predictions. Additionally they discuss any potential impact the Dianna Russini scandal has on the team this season.

The New England Patriots were easily the biggest surprise of the 2025 NFL season. They made an appearance in Super Bowl LX, and Drake Maye established himself as possibly one of the best quarterbacks in the world. Their schedule was easy; there was a lot of off-season drama to go along with it. The question now is: can the Patriots repeat 2025, or were they frauds? Our 32 NFL team previews have made it around to the AFC Champions. Let’s dive in and take a look at the 2026 New England Patriots preview.

New England Patriots Preview

The 2024 New England Patriots went just 4-13. It was one of the worst Patriots seasons in decades. All the years spent atop the league with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Finally, they knew what it felt like to be the New York Jets. But Robert Kraft, one of the best franchise owners in NFL history, wasn’t going to let that stand. He fired Jerod Mayo and corrected the mistake he previously made. That mistake was not hiring Super Bowl-winning Patriots linebacker and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

Vrabel came in and made an immediate impact on the franchise he once played for. Changing the culture from day one, he led the team to a 14-3 record and the 2 seed in the AFC playoffs. The Patriots played three of the toughest defenses in the league in the Chargers, Texans, and Broncos in the AFC playoffs. They snuck past each one, their defense stepping up and holding those three teams to just 26 total points.

Drake Maye emerged as a superstar at quarterback. If Matthew Stafford didn’t need to be the feel-good old guy finally wins story, Maye would have been the league’s MVP. As they’ve had many times before, a Patriot defensive back turned into one of the best in the league. Christian Gonzalez established himself as one of the best shutdown corners in the league. New England traded for AJ Brown over the offseason to give Maye a top-tier weapon, and reunite Brown and Vrabel, who spent time together in Tennessee.

Of course, in the offseason, the Diana Russini drama happened. It appears to not have surprised anyone but the public. Vrabel went through counseling, reconciled things with his wife, and now he’s focused on football. In my humble opinion, it’s all water under the bridge now. – Cody Zeeb (@Husker_Zeeb)

Cody’s New England Patriots Best Bet

Drake Maye Over 375.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

Drake Maye has established himself as a star quarterback in the NFL. After a Super Bowl appearance in 2025, the grounded, easy-going quarterback is going to be hungry to get back there in the 2026 season. Maye has smashed this number on the ground in both seasons thus far. In only 13 games as a rookie, he dashed for 421 yards. He followed that up in 2025 with 450 yards on the ground. Running the ball is part of Maye’s game, and in another season of Josh McDaniels offense and getting more comfortable will continue to open up lanes. You’ll get both designed runs and scramble runs from Maye. As this Patriots offense opens up more with AJ Brown in the fold, Maye will keep rushing the ball as a big part of his game.

We’re not hating on the #DallasCowboys we’re just stating facts 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/chhoHlgaJC

— Sports Gambling Podcast ™ (@GamblingPodcast) August 3, 2026