With the 2011 regular season complete, it’s time to take an early look at 2012 opponents for each AFC East team. The out-of-conference matchup next season will be the NFC West.

New England Patriots

Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

New York Jets

Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

Miami Dolphins

Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Buffalo Bills

Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks

Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Unless you want to be on the next “Remember last year” blog post, it would be wise to withhold predictions. It’s too early for that. Rosters will change dramatically after the draft and free agency. Therefore, what looks like an easy matchup today may not be in September.

BOSTON (CBS) – The New England Patriots organization is mourning the loss of Houston Antwine, a member of the team’s 50th Anniversary Team, who passed away Monday night.

Antwine, a six-time All Star in the American Football League, was 72.

Compounding the loss was the news that his wife, Evelyn, also passed away Tuesday morning.

“For those of us who grew up watching the Boston Patriots, this is a really sad day,” Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said in a release. “In the 1960s, the defensive tackle tandem of ‘Twine’ and Jim Lee Hunt were as good as any in the league and helped propel the Patriots to the franchise’s first division championship in 1963. Myra and I had the good fortune of hosting Houston and his wife, Evelyn, at my home just two years ago when we honored the Patriots 50th Anniversary Team. I loved hearing Houston’s stories about those early days in Boston. It was such a thrill for me, personally, to spend time with the players from that era. I am saddened to learn of the deaths of both Houston and Evelyn and want to express my deepest sympathies to the Antwine’s daughter, Regina, and all who mourn her losses. Let us all cherish life and remind loved ones how we feel about them daily.”

Antwine was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the eighth round, 64^th overall, of the 1961 AFL Draft, but was then traded to the Boston Patriots before ever playing a game for the Oilers. Antwine became a defensive catalyst for the Boston Patriots in the newly formed AFL and was selected as an AFL All-Star for six consecutive seasons, spanning 1963-1968. His play earned him the highest accolade as he was elected to the Patriots 1960’s All-Decade team and was named to the All-Time All-AFL Team.

Antwine spent 11-of-his-12 professional seasons with the Patriots (1961-69- AFL Boston Patriots, 1970- NFL Boston Patriots, and 1971- NFL New England Patriots) before playing the 1972 season, his final, with the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL.

In 142 regular season games for the Patriots, he recorded 39 sacks and led the team in that respective category during the 1967, 1968, and 1969 seasons.

In 2009, the New England Patriots Hall of Fame nomination committee selected Antwine as one of three Patriots alumni most deserving for the team’s Hall of Fame induction.

Both the New England Patriots and Boston Bruins are playing very, very well right now. Tom Brady and the Patriots are 11-3 and sitting atop the AFC and AFC East with only two games to go in the regular season. Meanwhile, Zdeno Chara and the Bruins have won five in a row and are also sitting atop their conference (the Eastern Conference).

So which team is the best in the city?

Only in Boston can we take two successful teams and pit them against each other for supremacy. Why? Well, because it’s Boston, where we only breed winners. Anything less than a championship is not acceptable. Right now, both the Patriots and Bruins are looking like they have a shot at bringing home yet another title.

Let your voices be heard and vote in our poll! Tell us who is better – the three-time Super Bowl champs or the six-time Stanley Cup Champs! 

For more New England Patriots and Boston Bruins coverage, visit our Pats and B’s team pages and blogs, Pats Pulpitand Stanley Cup Of Chowder.

Poll

Which Boston Team Is Better: Patriots Or Bruins?

Read More: Andre Carter (DE – NEP), New England Patriots

The New England Patriots officially  placed defensive end and team sack leader Andre Carter on injured reserve on Tuesday.

The obvious question about his replacement was posed to head coach Bill Belichick. He was not giving anything away in his response.

“Whatever 11 guys are out there, they’re going to have to get the job done, whoever it is,” said Belichick. “We don’t know what plays they’re going to run, so whoever we put out there will have to defend whatever plays they choose to call.” (via CSNNE.com)

Belichick was also asked about Carter returning to the Patriots next year because of his play this year. The New England coach thought it was too early for any talk about next season.

“We’ll deal with next year, next year. Right now, we’re just trying to get ready for Miami.”    

For more New England Patriots coverage, visit our team page and blog, Pats Pulpit.

By Jay King

– Newsdesk Contributor

Follow , and

Like SB Nation Boston on Facebook.

Dec 20, 2011 – After defeating the Denver Broncos on Sunday for their sixth straight victory, the New England Patriots improved one spot to No. 4 in SB Nation’s Week 16 NFL Power Rankings. 

The Pats have now won six straight and they finish off the season against the Dolphins and Bills, which means they should enter the postseason on an eight-game winning streak. As usual, they’re getting hot at the right time. 

New England’s 41-23 win against Denver clinched the AFC East division title, the ninth time New England has earned the divisional crown in the 11 seasons since Tom Brady became the team’s starting quarterback. The Patriots have not lost since Week 9, a 24-20 defeat against the New York Giants on Nov. 6.

New England returns to the field on Saturday afternoon at home against the Miami Dolphins.

For more New England Patriots coverage, visit our team page or our blog, Pats Pulpit. 

Read More: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots

Follow , and

Like SB Nation Boston on Facebook.

Do you like this story?