But can someone dig up the NFL rule that states "The New England Patriots shall not have to play any decent NFL teams during the regular season, so they can waltz through to a 14-2 record, bye, and home field advantage."
As a caveat: "No other AFC East teams are allowed to be owned, managed and coached by people who an idea on what they are doing, and must change out these folks every 3 years so as not to gain any competency, that would allow them to challenge the New England Patriots."
The NFL schedule is determined by formula:
1. 2 games against each divisional opponent (6 total)
2. 1 game against every team in another division in your conference (rotated so each other division is played every 3 years) (4 total)
3. 1 games against every team in a division in the other conference (rotated so each other division is played every 4 years) (4 total)
4. 1 game against the team in the other two divisions in your conference that finished in the same place as you did (2 total).
For the Patriots, that means...
2 games against the Jets, Bills, and Dolphins.
1 game each against the AFC North this year (Steelers, Browns, Bengals, and Ravens)
1 games each against the NFC East this year (Giants, Eagles, Redskins, and Cowboys)
1 game against the Chiefs (1st in the AFC West) and 1 game against the Texans (1st in AFC South).
The schedule was literally decided for all 32 teams the second the final gun of the final regular season game of the previous season was played.
The NFL literally only controls the dates and times of the games, not who plays who.