Scouting the Patriots’ remaining opponents

Bill Belichick and the New England Patirots have a 5-3 record coming off their bye week and will face eight more opponents in the second half of the season. Check out the opposition the Patriots face in their final eight games, and vote for which team you think will win.

Nov. 11 vs. Bills: The Bills are 3-5 after losing to the Texans 21-9 in Houston last week. The Bills are in third place in the AFC East and average 22.5 points per game, but lost their first meeting with the Patriots, 52-28, in Buffalo.

Nov. 18 vs. Colts: After rookie quarterback Andrew Luck’s breakout game last week against the Dolphins, and a win on Thursday night football over the Jaguars, the Colts have a 6-3 record and rank second in the AFC South. Luck set an NFL rookie single-game record with 433 yards against Miami. This game was moved to a 4:25 p.m. kickoff at Gillette Stadium because of the flex scheduling plan.

Nov. 22 at Jets: The Patriots will travel to New York for their second matchup against the Jets this season, a nationally televised Thanksgiving night showdown. In October, the Patriots defeated the Jets 29-26, and the Jets lost the following week as well to fall to 3-5 entering Week 10 of the NFL season. The Patriots defeated the Lions the last time they played on Thanksgiving, in 2010.

Dec. 2 at Dolphins: The Patriots will have played the Bills and Jets twice each before facing the Dolphins once. The Dolphins are 4-4 and in second place in the AFC East. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been inconsistent, ranging from a 112.0 rating in Week 6 vs. the Rams to a 39.0 in Week 1 vs. the Texans.

Dec. 10 vs. Texans: With a 7-1 record in the AFC South, the Texans have outperformed every opponent except Green Bay this season. With veteran QB Matt Schaub, running back Arian Foster and a stellar offensive line driving points and yardage (374 total yards against the Bills in Week 9), the Texans might be the most difficult opponent the Patriots face in the regular season.

Dec. 16 vs. 49ers: At the top of the NFC West with a 6-2 record, the 49ers have only been defeated by the Vikings and Giants. Averaging 23.6 points per game, they are ranked 13th in offense and second overall for defense. While the Patriots are top-ranked for offense, their 22d-ranked defense may be an issue in New England’s second-straight game against one of the top teams in the NFL.

Dec. 23 at Jaguars: After back-to-back games against top-tier opposition, the Patriots catch a break vs. Jacksonville. After losing to the Colts on Thursday Night Football, the Jaguars have the worst record in the NFL at 1-8. The only team the Jaguars have beaten, the Colts, got revenge in Week 10. The Patriots haven’t played the Jaguars since a 47-12 victory in the 2011 preseason in a game Tom Brady watched from the sidelines.

Dec. 30 vs. Dolphins: Round 2 of the Patriots-Dolphins is at Gillette Stadium. Miami is ranked 23d in offense while the Patriots are No. 1, but the defenses are both rated poorly — the Dolphins are 24th and the Patriots 22d. If the Patriots have a playoff spot locked up, this could be a game the starters sit out, but if playoff seeding is on the line or the Dolphins are in the hunt, it could be highly competitive.