Check out some of the top players set to play at Gillette Stadium versus the Patriots during the 2016 NFL season.
Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy (25) carries the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md., Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins (14) makes a catch during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Bill Wippert)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14) runs during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Bill Wippert)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker, right, pushjes off San Diego Chargers cornerback Adrian Phillips during the second half in an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) walks the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
FILE - In this Dec. 6, 2015, file photo, Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte (22) rushes against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL football game in Chicago. Forte, a two-time Pro Bowl running back announced on Instagram Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, morning that the team informed him this week it will not offer him a contract for next season. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) stays warm during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bills won, 22-17. (AP Photo/Bill Wippert)
New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker (87) reaches up to catch a pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) celebrates after New England Patriots' Tom Brady was sacked during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith (89) makes a catch as Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 26, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won 26-18. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett (29) carries the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) can't make the catch in the end zone against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 28, 2015, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Cincinnati Bengals' Jeremy Hill (32) celebrates after a 1-yard touchdown run during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Gary Landers)
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert (85) sits up after scoring a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Gary Landers)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins (97) is seen in action during an NFL preseason football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Monday, August 24, 2015 in Tampa, Florida. Tampa Bay won 25-11. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) leaps over Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) during an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015 in Seattle. (Peter Read Miller via AP)
St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald takes up his position during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Billy Hurst)
Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls (34) runs away from Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Daryl Smith (51) during the first half an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin (89) makes a catch as Carolina Panthers defensive back Robert McClain (27) looks on during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson #3 in action during the NFC divisional playoff game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, January 17, 2016, in Charlotte, NC. (Margaret Bowles via AP Images)
Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett (72) rests during an NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. The Seahawks won the game, 36-6. (Greg Trott via AP)
Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor #31 in action during the NFC divisional playoff game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, January 17, 2016, in Charlotte, NC. (Margaret Bowles via AP Images)
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) reacts during an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016 in Charlotte, N.C. Carolina won 31-24. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) is seen in action during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015 in Seattle. Seattle won 30-13. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) catches a pass as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Sean Smith (21) defends during an NFL football Wild Card playoff game on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 in Houston. (Peter Read Miller via AP)
Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Miller (26) rushes upfield against the New England Patriots Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016 at Miami Gardens, Fla. The Dolphins won 20 - 10 to end the NFL football regular season. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) celebrates during an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016, in Houston. Kansas City won 30-0. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
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We've known the opponents for weeks but the NFL finally got around to telling when and how each of the Patriots 16 games will be played in 2016. New England will open on the road for the Sunday nighter in Arizona and close it out on New Year's Day in Miami.
In between the Patriots will host Houston for a Week 3 Thursday night affair, travel to Pittsburgh in October, hit prime time at Gillette Stadium again for Seattle, host the new Los Angeles Rams and even get a chance to exact some revenge with a return trip to Denver late in the season.
It's an interesting slate of games and the schedule-makers did the Patriots some favors by putting the bye week in the middle (Week 9), allowing the team to have three straight home games and by spreading out the road trips pretty well.
New England will appear in prime time at least five times - one could be added as was the case last year - and go up against some of the best teams in the league.
With that in mind our Samsonite Make Your Case question of the week is:
Which game are you looking forward to most in 2016?
PFW's Andy Hart says...
Arizona
The Patriots made a bunch of additions in the offseason and what better way to see how those changes will fare than to go up against an elite team on the road in the first game of the season?
Kickoff weekend is always special but it's even more so this year with the Cardinals serving as the opponent. Not only were they one of the best teams in football last season but they've also added Chandler Jones, which should add even more spice to an already interesting matchup.
The Cardinals will offer a nice test right out of the gate as Bill Belichick tries to get the newcomers acclimated to the Patriots system, and the countdown to the opener is already on.
-AH
PFW's Paul Perillo says...
Seattle
I know the scoreboard said the Panthers took out the Seahawks in last year's playoffs but in my mind Seattle is still the team to beat in the NFC. To me, the Seahawks trip to Foxborough in front of NBC's prime time cameras could very well be a Super Bowl preview - so how can that not be the game I'm most looking forward to.
Russell Wilson just keeps getting better every year and he's proven he won't wilt under the pressure that Gillette Stadium seems to apply to many other teams and quarterbacks. The Patriots will need to be at their best against Seattle, and the intensity should be at a high level. Oh, and in case anyone forgot that Super Bowl these teams played a couple of years ago was kind of exciting.
I'm already looking forward to two weeks of hype for that one since it follows the Patriots bye week. Nov. 13... mark it down on your calendars now. You won't find a better regular-season matchup.
--PP
Now it's your turn to cast a vote in this week's Samsonite Make Your Case poll question.
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