Will this Patriots team ever stop giving me aneurysms? Coming off the heels of the biggest offseason for the New England Patriots in recent history, this football team seemed destined to improve. Even after the surprise release of Cam Newton to open up the QB1 position for rookie Mac Jones, many Patriots fans did not doubt the fact that this team was a playoff team on paper.
Those Patriots fans were only half right.
Sure, Jones has been better than advertised; a classic game manager quarterback, he has looked calm and poised in the pocket and makes minimal mistakes — sans four interceptions. The secondary continues to suffocate opposing offenses and make even the greatest of quarterbacks (hello, Tom Brady) uncomfortable in the pocket. Yet, even with all of the positives surrounding this team through four weeks of the regular season, they are 1–3.
Many Patriots analysts argue that this team is better than its current record, and I agree. Costly penalties and brutal turnovers have plagued the Patriots since the start of the 2021 NFL season, mistakes that the Patriots normally do not make. If Damien Harris didn’t fumble the ball inside the Dolphins' 10-yard line in Week 1, the Patriots would have won that game. If J.J. Taylor didn’t fumble the ball against the Buccaneers on Sunday night, the Patriots potentially would have scored on that drive and secured an insurance lead. If Jonnu Smith didn’t force a pick-six against the Saints, the Patriots could have salvaged an ugly victory in Week 3.
What stings the most about the start to this season is that the Patriots came within inches of potentially beating Tom Brady, their former franchise quarterback. In a game that lived up to all expectations, the Patriots made Brady miserable all night, forcing him to finish with a QBR of 70.8 (for comparison, Mac Jones had a QBR of 101.6). However, the Patriots, once again, shot themselves in the foot with multiple turnovers and penalties that gave Brady second chances. And the icing on the cake? Patriots kicker Nick Folk hit the left upright on a 56-yard field goal to potentially take the lead in the final seconds of the game. To make matters worse, the Patriots' run offense, which was supposedly going to be a strength this season, ran into a buzzsaw last night, finishing with eight carries for minus 1 yard. Yes, you read that right: The Patriots gained a total of minus 1 yards on the ground. And they still almost managed to beat Brady.
Moral of the story? These Patriots need to simply bury this game on the practice fields this week and turn their attention to their Week 5 opponent, the Houston Texans. If this team wants to secure a playoff spot in January, another loss will certainly deflate its odds immensely. Next Sunday, the Patriots need to develop a ground game against the weak Texans’ defense, which is 28th in the league for run defense. Additionally, Josh McDaniels must give Jones the opportunity for more deep passes. The Patriots simply cannot win games with their dip-and-dunk style offense; you drafted this man for a reason, to throw the ball. Let him sling it.
I truly don't think I'm asking for too much with this team. They just need to go out and get a confident win against the Texans this Sunday. If not, this Patriots fan base will go from optimistic to cynical very quickly.
