Burning Patriots questions: What will be their record, and will Pats make the playoffs?
FOXBORO -- Robert Kraft doesn't just want the Patriots to return to the playoffs this season. The owner wants to add at least another postseason victory to the franchise's ledger.
Both of those are probably wishful thinking from Kraft. The Patriots should be better in 2023, but the AFC remains pretty stacked. They're also playing in the toughest division in football, and have the hardest schedule. Navigating their way to a postseason berth won't be easy.
A lot has to go right for the Patriots to make it into the postseason, while not a lot would have to go wrong for them to miss out on the playoffs for the third time in the last four years. Will Kraft -- and Patriots fans -- be happy come early January, or are they in for another long winter?
The WBZ sports team is split on whether or not the Pats will make a run to the playoffs, but everyone agrees that 2023 should be a much more enjoyable experience for New England fans.
Steve Burton, WBZ-TV Sports
The Pats will finish 10-7, which still sounds weird. That will be enough to get into the playoffs as a wild card team.
Dan Roche, WBZ-TV Sports
I think the Pats will be better than a season ago when they finished 8-9. I'll go with 10-7 and yes, they make the postseason party.
Michael Hurley, WBZ.com Sports
They'll go 8-9, probably, and just miss out on a wild card.
Matthew Geagan, WBZ.com Sports
New England's floor is a lot lower than their ceiling is high this season. It feels like moral victories will be the main focus, and this team should have a bunch of those, at least.
The Patriots will get better as the season goes, which is all we can really ask for. They don't have much room for error, so they can't let any of their "winnable" games (home against the Saints and Commanders, on the road against Pittsburgh, and in Germany against the Colts) get away from them. The Pats will have no shot at the postseason if they can't beat other wannabe playoff teams.
They should take care of business in those games, and that will help the Patriots finish 9-8. That will be an improvement on last season but it probably won't be enough to sneak into the playoffs.
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