Analysts Bedard and Giardi Project Patriots to Finish 11-6 in 2026 Season
NFL analysts Bedard and Giardi released their 2026 season predictions, forecasting the New England Patriots to end the regular season with an 11-6 record and secure the fourth AFC seed.
Two NFL analysts released their projections for the 2026 season, outlining expected records for teams in the AFC East and the league's playoff seeding. Bedard predicts the Patriots and Bills will each finish 11-6, while the Dolphins and Jets are slated at 2-15. In his overall AFC seed ranking, Bedard places the Broncos first, the Texans second, the Bengals third, the Patriots fourth, the Bills fifth and the Chargers sixth, with the Chiefs seventh. His NFC seed list starts with the Rams, followed by the Bears, Cowboys, Buccaneers, Seahawks, 49ers and Packers. The analysts noted that previous forecasts for the Patriots had varied widely from 2023 to 2025, citing differences between their predictions and actual outcomes.
"I will go into more detail on how I see the Patriots' season going on Wednesday," one analyst said, indicating a forthcoming deeper analysis.