In 2023, the New England Patriots had an underwhelming season to say the least. It was the end of an era too as coach Bill Belichick’s tenure came to an end after almost a quarter of a century. On his departure, he said: “
We had a vision of building a winner here … and it exceeded my wildest dreams and expectations.”
A record of 4-13 wasn’t winning any more. 2024 was always going to be a transitional season after such a legendary coach departed. This is a team that has won six Super Bowls in the Millennium but are a million miles away from competing at the elite postseason level. The Patriots might have hoped for a moderate start, especially after they created a big upset by winning the opening game against the Cincinnati Bengals. New coach Jerod Mayo had created some momentum straight away.
Since then, the media pack and fans have been barking at the door like wolves as the losses have piled up. The downward trend started after another generally encouraging performance against the Seattle Seahawks which was lost in overtime before a noisy sellout crowd. Big losses have accumulated against the New York Jets, the 49ers and Houston Texans as they have conceded an aggregate of almost 100 points over those three matches alone.
It is a trend that isn’t sustainable. The Patriot fanbase has been accused of being entitled having had such a dynastic run in the Tom Brady years. In some sportsbooks, the Patriots’ NFL odds are some of the worst and a return to winning the regular season, let alone a Super Bowl, show how the once mighty have fallen. Losing has become as much of a habit as winning was back in the halcyon days when they were just seconds away from a 19-0 season.
After the stunning opening day win at the Paycor Stadium, new coach Mayo said that the media had overplayed the offensive issues that were present last year and showed up again in the preseason. He suggested that his squad were dominating the scrimmage offensively and defensively.
After the 24-3 loss to the Jets, the New York Times didn’t agree. Their headline read: “The Patriots’ Offensive Line is a Mess.” It is true that the Patriots are suffering badly in the pass protection statistics. The quarterbacks – first Jacoby Brissett and then Drake Maye to see out the last rites – were sacked seven times between them. Injuries are certainly a factor and the loss of Chukwuma Okorafor from the team have not helped.
That quarterback position has been a real issue for the team. Last season, there was a late change as Mac Jones was removed for Bailey Zappe in what was seen in some avenues as an act of desperation. By early October, no team in the NFL had scored less points than the Patriots. This led to a predictable clamour to start rookie quarterback Maye
This call gained even more traction as poor Brissett was hit six times during the 30-13 mauling by the 49ers at the end of September. Again, the flaws were well beyond the shortcomings of one man and more about the structure. “Defensively, keeping the quarterback in the pocket continues to be an issue. Offensively, we don’t have a team that can lose the turnover battle and expect to win a football game. We have to do a better job with the turnovers,” said the coach. This was a succint summary of the issues that continue to plague the team
The beacon of hope was Maye’s debut and, more importantly, the possibilities it opens up. It is too simplistic to argue that a rookie can save the season, but his three-touchdown initiation against Houston showed more than a glimmer. If the never-ending injuries of the offensive line could stop and provide some ballast in terms of selection, then there could still be time for the 22-year-old to rise to the challenge. The Pats need to start putting some ‘Ws’ in the column before it’s mathematically impossible to progress.
Ultimately, this is another new era within a new era with coach and quarterback. Although he threw two interceptions on debut, Maye was showered with praise by Belichick who compared him with Indy Colts’ Andrew Luck who threw for just under 24,000 yards and over 170 touchdowns in six seasons. Now there’s a man who knows a thing or two. Once the QB shows enough quality, the stability to protect him is an absolute must. That second issue may have to wait until 2025 to fully come to fruition.
“First off is protect the football,” said Maye. After the Houston defeat. Get that right and there’s progress.
