The New England Patriots 2010 Regular Season Predictions: Game By Game

The Patriots have a lot of question marks to address in 2010.

Tom Brady will not be distracted by contract talks hopefully, as the team gets ready for an all-out brawl for the AFC East between the Jets, the pesky Dolphins, and the Patriots.

The Jets have to be favored to win this division, with the defensive improvements, added running attack with fresh bodies, and the continued development of Mark Sanchez.

The Patriot faithful are hoping for a second-season letdown by Sanchez, but that does not seem likely.

The Dolphins have added Brandon Marshall and will be a headache as well.

In Game One of the regular 2010 season, we find the Patriots hosting the Bengals coming to town with Carson Palmer, Ocho Cinco, and now T.O.

The running attack is also adequate for the Bengals with Cedric Benson in a revival of his running career carrying the load in the backfield.

This game was very difficult to pick, but in the end, I won't go against Belichick on Opening Day at Home.

Patriots in a squeaker 33-30. 1-0.

Game Two finds the Patriots in New York early in the season, which could be very good, or very bad for New England.

The Jets were tough in this building last season and nothing will change. I have to take the Jets in this one, mainly because if they are going to win this division, it starts right here. Patriots 1-1 now.

Week Three is at home against Buffalo. Buffalo may win two or three games this season, and maybe even four. Not here, Patriots 2-1.

Week Four finds the Patriots on the road again in Miami.

Ummm, Brandon Marshall should be fully recovered and about ready to break loose in a big way for his new team. Miami wins at home, and the Patriot faithful start grumbling.

2-2 now, as New England heads into the bye week with a couple of division losses, maybe.

Just as easily, New England can get a split with the Jets and Miami and maybe steal one of these games. Then 3-1 would feel much better.

I will stay at my guess of 2-2 however, as we move on.

These predictions without the points are 75 to 80 percent accurate most of the time, so at the end of the article we will have a high and low estimate of the prediction, and a good idea of if New England can make the playoffs in a highly competitive division.

After their week of rest they roll into a lion's den with the improved Ravens, who could be Super Bowl-bound in some conversations.

After a week of rest, most teams will win this game and New England can steal one here. 3-2 now.

The Patriots travel west to take on the Chargers next, and can play well on these trips out west on occasion.

The trouble with this one is that San Diego will be coming out of their usual slow starts for the season, and will be hungry at home.

We have to have the Patriots around 3-3, with this schedule, which is seeming difficult as we move on.

In Week Eight, it does not get easier as New England faces Minnesota and hopefully Brett Favre, if Minnesota hopes to get any further than last season in the NFC.

The Vikings win this one ON THE ROAD/. Uh oh, 3-4 now.To have any better record at this time New England would have to beat the Jets, Miami ON THE ROAD AND mINNESOTA AT HOME.

No way they can pull off three or even two of these upsets. One is realistic, so just maybe they could be 4-3. Lets stay real, folks.

With this schedule, 4-3 is very good and just a hint of optimism.

Week Nine brings a small break as the Pats get Cleveland on the road. New England can grab this one and for sure be back at 4-4 at least. Again, realistically speaking possibly 5-3.

Next, will be a trip to Pittsburgh as this schedule turns tougher once more. Pittsburgh will be good at this point in the season, or desperate. Bad news both ways as this is a tough one to give to New England.  4-5 or 5-4 seems a very good prognosis right now.

I'm gonna settle on the 4-5 record at this point, with the thinking that the Pats could not beat the Jets, Miami, or Minnesota on the road.

Peyton Manning comes to town in Week 11 and the Colts are favored by some to reach the Super Bowl again in 2010/2011.

I'm afraid I agree with this thinking entirely as the Colts seem to have gotten better with free agency and the draft. New England now is for sure at a 4-6 mark, or best case scenario 5-5.

Week 12 brings us aging veterans trying to turn back time for New England as they travel to Detroit to tune up for rougher waters in the next few weeks, Okay, 5-6 likely, 6-5 maybe. This has to be a win or the season will start to unravel here.

Lucky Week 13 gets the Jets rematch on Monday Night Football in New England.

Brady and Moss look like the same as previous years, along with everyone else as they handle the Jets at home. 6-6 is a great record with this schedule. I'm not quite sure you could expect any better than 7-5 now.

I am still staying with the lower scale of this prediction article at the 6-6 mark now.

New England will beat the Bears, who will not be much better this season, and move to a 7-6 record for the season.

The Green Bay Packers show up next, and they have thoughts of Super Bowl greatness as well this season.

Most likely that road travels through Minnesota and New Orleans, and only time can tell if Green Bay is as good as people say they are this season coming.

After some research and numbers crunching, The Packers are going to give New England nightmares in 2010. The New England Patriots are now 7-7 for 2010.

You get Buffalo one more time to make it to 8-7 or on just a little more optimistic level, let's say 9-6.

The last game is against the Dolphins at home. Let's say the Pats grab that one, somehow. 10-6 is the most plausible record I can come up with in 2010.

I actually think it will be 9-7, but let's give a bit of room for error.

11-5 looks like the wild card record for the AFC this season coming. If the Patriots can reach 11 wins, they could squeak into the playoffs.

10-6 will not make it, and New England will have to beat several very good teams to reach 11 wins.

I think this will be a down year for New England, but that is just one humble opinion.

I hope the Patriot Fans are realistic about 2010 and must know this team may struggle against younger players with a bit more hunger for success than the long in the tooth, highly successful New England Vets.

Good luck to your team as you hope to prove me wrong in this article. Hi, Glenn, how's it going?

Thomas [NFL Mikee] Moreland