The main point of the keyword phrase is the concept of "contention," which functions grammatically as a noun. This noun represents the central theme and the primary subject of analysis for an article built around this keyword. It signifies a state or conditionspecifically, the team's status as a competitor for the playoffs.
A grammatical breakdown of the phrase reveals that while "Patriots" is the subject and "have" is the main verb, the core information lies in the object and its modifiers. The direct object is "schedule," which is modified by the prepositional phrase "with potential playoff contention." Within this crucial modifying phrase, the noun "contention" serves as the object of the preposition "with." This placement establishes it as the resulting condition or key takeaway. The other parts of speech, such as the adjective "favorable" or the verb "have," are supporting details that describe how the team achieves or possesses this state of contention.
Identifying the main point as a noun is critical for content strategy. Because "contention" is a noun representing a concept, the resulting article should focus on defining and analyzing this state. The content would explore the evidence for this status, the factors contributing to it (such as the favorable schedule), and the implications of the team being in this competitive position. This approach differs fundamentally from a keyword centered on a verb (which would focus on an action) or an adjective (which would describe a quality), as it directs the article to be an exposition of a specific, newsworthy status.