The New England Patriots are one of the more storied franchises in the NFL, so it’s no surprise that they will be one of the most prominently featured teams in the 2019 NFL season. In honor of the NFL’s 100th year, the NFL has announced “Landmark Games” for each week of the NFL season. These landmark games are essentially just the Game of the Week from a matchup with notable historical relevance. New England’s two landmark games are their Week Six matchup against the New York Giants and the Week 11 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Patriots to Face Giants, Eagles in NFL 100 Landmark Games
Both of these matchups are throwbacks to New England’s recent Super Bowl matchups. The Patriots faced off against the Eagles in Super Bowls XXXIX and LII, going 1-1 in those games. New England won the first time, topping Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb by a final score of 24-21. Deion Branch won Super Bowl MVP honors for his 11-catch, 133-yard effort while Rodney Harrison recorded the game-sealing interception.
The Eagles, of course, got their revenge in Super Bowl LII. Tom Brady threw for a Super Bowl-record 505 yards, but it wasn’t enough to stop Philadelphia. Nick Foles won MVP behind a 373-yard, three-touchdown performance as Philadelphia won their first Super Bowl in franchise history. The Patriots and Eagles will face off in Week 11 at 4:25 PM.
New York, of course, has been one of the biggest thorns in the side of New England’s dynasty. The Patriots and Giants faced off in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI, with New York winning both contests. Eli Manning won MVP honors on both occasions while New York famously prevented New England’s undefeated season back in 2007. These two rivals last faced off in 2015, with New England pulling off a last-second 27-26 victory. These two teams will meet up on Thursday Night Football in Week Six.
Theoretically, New England could have a third legacy game, as Week 17’s distinction has yet to be revealed. However, it’s unlikely New England gets another game. The Patriots will face off against the Miami Dolphins in the regular season finale, and these two don’t have that much of a history together. Outside of being in the same division, the Patriots and Dolphins haven’t faced off in too many NFL-defining moments. The most recent game of note is the 1985 AFC Championship Game, where New England surprisingly beat Dan Marino and the Dolphins to advance to their first Super Bowl.
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