The NFL released the preseason schedule on Thursday. Dates and times haven’t been announced, but here’s a first look at the opponents for the New England Patriots:
Week 1 (Aug. 11-15) vs. New Orleans Saints
Comment: The teams held joint practices before last year's preseason game and both raved about the experience. Tom Brady vs. Drew Brees is always a treat on the practice field, and that would draw a huge crowd to Gillette Stadium. One thing to consider is that the Saints were scheduled to hold joint practices with the Texans last year, but pulled out when Houston was part of HBO's "Hard Knocks.