The New England Patriots are favored to win every game this season, according to ESPN's Football Power Index. Still, the Patriots will have their work cut out for them. Five teams -- the Raiders, Steelers, Seahawks, Packers and Falcons -- pose the greatest threat to dethroning the five-time Super Bowl champions. Here's a closer look at each team and why they could knock off the Patriots.
» Raiders | Steelers | Packers | Seahawks
Atlanta Falcons
Regular-season matchup: at New England, 8:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 22
FPI chance to beat Patriots: 27.1 percent
Last meeting: Super Bowl LI. The Patriots overcame a 28-3 deficit to beat the Falcons 34-28 in overtime.
Why the Falcons can beat the Patriots: Offense. Yes, the Falcons have improved defensively with the additions of players such as Dontari Poe, Takkarist McKinley, Duke Riley and Jack Crawford, plus they return Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant from last year's season-ending pectoral injury. That being said, it's virtually an impossible task to shut down a Tom Brady-guided offense, especially one that includes Rob Gronkowski (who did not play in the Super Bowl matchup). So, the Falcons have to rely on the same high-octane offensive formula that staked them to a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl. The Falcons led the league at 33.8 points per game last season and went 12-1 in games in which they scored 30 or more -- and 0-4 win they scored 28 or fewer points. To beat the Patriots, Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman & Co. have to outscore them, plain and simple. And the Falcons have enough offensive weapons all around to accomplish such a feat, provided the offensive line, led by Pro Bowl center Alex Mack, holds up. -- Vaughn McClure
Oakland Raiders
Regular-season matchup: vs. New England at Mexico City, 4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Nov. 19.
FPI chance to beat Patriots: 40.6
Last meeting: Sept. 21, 2014. The Patriots defeated the Raiders 16-9 at Gillette Stadium.
Why the Raiders can beat the Patriots: Karma? After all, as is gospel in the streets of Silver and Blackdom, without the Tuck Rule, Brady never becomes, well, Brady, because the Patriots go back to $100 million man Drew Bledsoe while Brady becomes a cute sixth-round backup story. Same with Bill Belichick, who had flamed out in Cleveland before. That play, call and rule sent both franchises on opposite trajectories, the Patriots becoming a modern-day dynasty, the Raiders' sliding into the abyss hastened by Brady's fumble on a hit by a blitzing Charles Woodson being ruled a pass. The Raiders are barely coming out of said funk -- a 13-year run of nonwinning seasons before last year's 12-4 breakthrough. And if you don’t believe in such kismet, the Raiders are simply built to take the AFC mantle from the Patriots, with offensive tools young -- QB Derek Carr, WR Amari Cooper -- old -- RB Marshawn Lynch, WR Michael Crabtree -- and durable -- a massive offensive line -- to win a shootout with New England. Ah, but that Oakland defense remains a question, especially with Brady able to pick apart such units with aplomb. Well, then ... have I mentioned karma? -- Paul Gutierrez
Pittsburgh Steelers
Regular-season matchup: vs. New England, 4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Dec. 17.
FPI chance to beat Patriots: 48.9
Last meeting: AFC Championship Game, Jan. 22, 2017. The Patriots defeated the Steelers 36-17 at Gillette Stadium.
Why the Steelers can beat the Patriots: How important is home-field advantage for the Steelers? At Heinz Field, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has averaged three touchdown passes per game since 2015. Away from Heinz Field, Big Ben averages one touchdown per game during that span. The Steelers believe they can beat any team at home. Regardless of setting, though, Pittsburgh probably hasn't been this well-positioned for contention since 2010. The Steelers avoided major injury in the preseason. The quartet of Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant finally looks set to play a 16-game season together. The offensive line is one of the NFL's best. And the defense is stocked with athletic first-round draft picks. The Steelers know top-shelf quarterbacks can beat their zone coverages, so they've looked to beef up their secondary for schematic flexibility. That might not stop Brady, but Pittsburgh is hopeful it has enough defensive firepower to keep the score reasonable and let the offense be the first to 30 points. Pass coverage and pass rush run together, and the Steelers really like their front seven's ability to create havoc at the line of scrimmage. This is the deepest defensive line they've had in years. -- Jeremy Fowler
Green Bay Packers
Regular-season matchup: None.
Last meeting: Nov. 30, 2014. The Packers defeated the Patriots 26-21 at Lambeau Field.
Why the Packers can beat the Patriots: Who says they can? Wouldn't Brady pick apart the Packers' shaky pass defense? Luckily for the Packers, the Patriots aren't on their schedule, so the only possible meeting would come in Minneapolis for the Super Bowl. But then Belichick would have two weeks to prepare for Aaron Rodgers & Co. Give the master two weeks and he's sure to come up with something Rodgers hasn't seen. Rodgers would have to play a perfect game, which he nearly did in the last meeting between the two teams in 2014 -- his second MVP season. On that day at Lambeau, Rodgers threw for 368 yards and two touchdowns in the Packers' win. He'd probably have to do even more to beat them this time around. -- Rob Demovsky
Seattle Seahawks
Regular-season matchup: None.
Last meeting: Nov. 13, 2016. The Seahawks defeated the Patriots 31-24 at Gillette Stadium.
Why the Seahawks can beat the Patriots: Because their defense is still one of the NFL's best, especially with the recent addition of Sheldon Richardson. Defenses that have a fighting chance against Brady are those that have a disruptive enough front four to generate pressure without blitzing, and enough talent in their back seven to keep up with New England's pass-catchers. The Seahawks were shorthanded in both areas when Brady was leading a fourth-quarter comeback in Super Bowl XLIX, by which point cornerback Jeremy Lane and defensive end Cliff Avril had both left because of injuries. But the Seahawks had both of those things when they hung on to hand New England one of its two losses last season, even though they were missing their best defensive lineman, Michael Bennett. The Seahawks by no means neutralized Brady (316 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT) in that game, but they fared better than most defenses did against him last season while holding him to his third-lowest QB rating (90.1) of 2016. That game was a reminder that the Seahawks can beat anyone, anywhere, when they're healthy or even just mostly healthy -- including Brady and the Patriots. -- Brady Henderson