The New England Patriots are looking at a tough season in 2020, with the team facing some of the NFL’s best quarterbacks and coaches. And Bill Belichick is no longer equipped with Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of all time. Instead, the Patriots coach will build around a new quarterback, likely Jarrett Stidham or Brian Hoyer.

New England picks off with a number of tough matchups: Miami, Seattle, Las Vegas and Kansas City. At the end of the season. the Patriots will head to L.A. for two weeks before going Miami. But there’s relief: they’ll finish the season at home for back-to-back weeks.

Considering the uncertainty at quarterback, the travel, the matchups against both 2020 conference champions and the rigors of the NFC West, we figure the Patriots will finish 9-7. Here’s a look at how it could play out.

Week 1: vs. Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. Score prediction: Loss, 33-24. Let's imagine Ryan Fitzpatrick starts in this game. And he'll bring the… Score prediction: Loss, 33-24. Let's imagine Ryan Fitzpatrick starts in this game. And he'll bring the magic. Coach Brian Flores will get his squad motivated for a win that establishes Miami as a legit threat in a division without Tom Brady. more

Week 2: @ Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 20 at 8:20 p.m. Score prediction: Loss, 31-28. Russell Wilson's poise pushes the Seahawks past the Patriots. The better quarterback… Score prediction: Loss, 31-28. Russell Wilson's poise pushes the Seahawks past the Patriots. The better quarterback will win in what is sure to be a competitive matchup. more

Week 3: vs. Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. Score prediction: Win, 38-31. If the Raiders had their quarterback situation established, this would be a… Score prediction: Win, 38-31. If the Raiders had their quarterback situation established, this would be a fun and interesting game. But it's easy to imagine the Raiders tossing and turning on Marcus Mariota and Derek Carr, which will lead to instability. more

Week 4: @ Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 4 at 4:25 p.m. Score prediction: Loss, 34-24. The Patriots won't have the firepower to match Patrick Mahomes in 2020,… Score prediction: Loss, 34-24. The Patriots won't have the firepower to match Patrick Mahomes in 2020, not even if the Chiefs are suffering from a Super Bowl hangover. more

Week 5: vs. Denver Broncos on Oct. 11 at 1 p.m. Score prediction: Win, 23-18. Drew Lock has all the weapons in 2020, but does he know… Score prediction: Win, 23-18. Drew Lock has all the weapons in 2020, but does he know how to use them yet? I'm guessing he won't have his act together by the time he faces New England. more

Week 6: BYE

Week 7: vs. San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 25 at 4:25 p.m. Score prediction: Loss, 21-14. Belichick is sure to have Jimmy Garoppolo's number, and the Super Bowl… Score prediction: Loss, 21-14. Belichick is sure to have Jimmy Garoppolo's number, and the Super Bowl loss is sure to be tough for San Francisco. But they're a no-nonsense team which can run the ball well on anyone. That's how they'll beat the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. more

Week 8: @ Buffalo Bills on Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. Score prediction: Loss, 28-13. New England's defense can't carry them in Buffalo. Josh Allen and the… Score prediction: Loss, 28-13. New England's defense can't carry them in Buffalo. Josh Allen and the Bills budding wideout group, which now includes Stefon Diggs, proves too much to handle. more

Week 9: @ New York Jets on Nov. 9 at 8:15 p.m. (Monday) Score prediction: Win, 27-10. The Jets' home field advantage isn't enough to overwhelm New England. Belichick… Score prediction: Win, 27-10. The Jets' home field advantage isn't enough to overwhelm New England. Belichick still seems to have an edge over Adam Gase and Sam Darnold. more

Week 10: vs. Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 15 at 8:20 p.m. Score prediction: Loss, 31-20. New England couldn't stop Lamar Jackson last year, and while the Patriots… Score prediction: Loss, 31-20. New England couldn't stop Lamar Jackson last year, and while the Patriots seem to be building a defense that's speedy enough to stop him, they won't quite be there yet. He will continue to dominate next season. more

Week 11: @ Houston Texans on Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. Score prediction: Loss, 20-17. The Patriots' revamped linebacker group looks younger and faster, which will help… Score prediction: Loss, 20-17. The Patriots' revamped linebacker group looks younger and faster, which will help them against the likes of Deshaun Watson. But Watson's experience will have him winning a duel with whoever is quarterbacking in New England. more

Week 12: vs. Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. Score prediction: Win, 21-20. Even with an elite secondary and a group of young and athletic… Score prediction: Win, 21-20. Even with an elite secondary and a group of young and athletic linebackers, the Patriots are likely to have a tough time containing Kyler Murray and his explosive offense. Still, the Patriots edge past what will likely be a much-improved Arizona team in 2020. more

Week 13: @ L.A. Chargers on Dec. 6 at 4:25 p.m. Score prediction: Win, 20-10. Even with a long road trip to L.A., the Patriots are likely… Score prediction: Win, 20-10. Even with a long road trip to L.A., the Patriots are likely to see Justin Herbert and are also, therefore, likely to nab a win — even if Herbert has a terrific supporting cast. more

Week 14: @ L.A. Rams on Dec. 10 at 8:20 p.m. (THURSDAY) Score prediction: Win, 24-17. This feels like it'll be a messy year for the Rams, who… Score prediction: Win, 24-17. This feels like it'll be a messy year for the Rams, who may slide defensively due to a top-heavy roster which includes huge contracts for Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. more

Week 15: @ Miami Dolphins on Dec. 20 at 1 p.m. Score prediction: Win, 16-10. Let's imagine the Dolphins decide to start Tua Tagovailoa, the 2020 fifth-overall… Score prediction: Win, 16-10. Let's imagine the Dolphins decide to start Tua Tagovailoa, the 2020 fifth-overall pick, in this game. And let's also imagine that Belichick knows exactly how to stop the former Nick Saban product. more

Week 16: vs. Buffalo Bills on Dec. 28 at 8:15 p.m. (Monday) Score prediction: Win, 31-20. The Patriots get a dominant win at home, and manage to rely… Score prediction: Win, 31-20. The Patriots get a dominant win at home, and manage to rely upon their defense with some help from Sony Michel on offense. more

Week 17: vs. New York Jets on Jan. 3 at 1 p.m. Score prediction: Win, 17-3. New England is going to win some low-scoring games in 2020, and… Score prediction: Win, 17-3. New England is going to win some low-scoring games in 2020, and I'm having trouble seeing the promise in New York's roster, even if Sam Darnold's career spins positive. more