The unfathomable has grow to be the fact. The Patriots stink.

Patriots

Invoice Belichick most likely will survive the season. Ought to he? How can he, if Sundays preserve going like this?

By Chad Finn, The Boston Globe

October 9, 2023 | 7:27 AM

Welcome to the Unconventional Overview, an prompt response to standouts, stats, and story traces from the Patriots’ most up-to-date sport . . .

By no means thought it will come to this. By no means thought it might. By no means thought the Patriots would grow to be an unfunny punchline so long as Invoice Belichick was their coach.

It’s gorgeous that it has come to this. However the unfathomable has grow to be the fact. The Patriots stink. They’re 1-4 after Sunday’s humiliating 34-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints, which follows final Sunday’s humiliating 38-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, which follows their solely win and maybe their solely win for some time, a 15-10 defeat of the New York Jets wherein they needed to survive a Zach Wilson Hail Mary try and eke out the victory.

They’re off to their worst begin since 2000, Belichick’s first season, when he needed to clear up a large number of a roster. Now the mess of a roster is his creation, and there’s no repair in sight. Mac Jones, their third-year quarterback who as soon as had some promise, has was Tony Eason lowlight reel. The road is a sieve, the receivers can’t get open, and the uncommon impressed play name is executed poorly.

The Patriots have been shut out at residence for the primary time since September 1969, eight years earlier than Tom Brady was born. It by no means occurred throughout Rod Rust’s 1-15 season in 1990, when the Patriots have been outscored by 265 factors. It by no means occurred throughout Dick McPherson’s 2-14 season in 1992, when some child named Scott Zolak led them to back-to-back wins after an 0-9 begin.

The Patriots have 11 turnovers of their final 9 quarters. They haven’t scored a landing within the third quarter all season. Their final offensive landing got here when Pharaoh Brown caught the Jets napping and went 58 yards on a catch-and-run within the first minute of the second quarter of their Week 3 matchup. They’ve given up 69 unanswered factors.

There are not any fixes in sight. Jones (12 for 22, 110 yards, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble) is shattered, bruised, and mopey. Bailey Zappe, who went unclaimed on waivers on the finish of coaching camp, seems to be like the most suitable choice proper now, if solely as a result of he’s higher at operating for his life. Rhamondre Stevenson (8 carries, 24 yards) has was 2008 Laurence Maroney for no explicable cause, contemplating that he was a tackle-breaking machine behind a mediocre line final yr.

What else? The Patriots are normally behind earlier than the tv broadcasts end exhibiting the beginning lineups. They always look unprepared. They start their video games with no spark and finish them alone with their ideas on the hopeless sideline. Belichick most likely will survive the season. Ought to he? How can he, if Sundays preserve going like this? How did it come to this?

The Patriots do not need a smooth spot on their schedule. They’re the smooth spot for everybody else. The Saints hadn’t scored 20 factors in any of their earlier 10 video games till dropping 34 on the Patriots. On the plus facet, the Patriots don’t must tank to get a few tickets for the Caleb Williams sweepstakes. They will simply preserve doing what they’re doing.

Three gamers who have been value watching

Gamers advised within the Unconventional Preview: Chris Olave, Keion White, Cameron Jordan.

Tyrann Mathieu: The interception artist generally known as the Honey Badger entered Sunday’s sport with three earlier pick-6s in his profession. (Truly thought it will be extra.) He received No. 4 within the first quarter, and I doubt he’s had one which was simpler. On third and 6, the pocket collapsed round Jones. He stepped up, received hit by Carl Granderson (who was a pressure), and a fragile mallard wobbled out of his grip and proper to Mathieu, who ran it in from 27 yards for the sport’s first landing. That was the sixth profession pick-6 for Jones. That’s two greater than Aaron Rodgers has thrown in his profession, and he was drafted in 2005.

Alvin Kamara: The again seemed sharp for a veteran taking part in simply his second sport after serving a three-game suspension. He ran 22 occasions for 80 yards and a landing, and caught all three of his targets for 17 yards. The TD was the 73d of his profession, breaking a tie with Marques Colston for many in Saints historical past.

Kendrick Bourne: Nicely, if we’re obligated to incorporate a Patriot, Bourne was respectable. He had back-to-back catches for 15 and 11 yards on an finally ill-fated drive on the finish of the primary half, and pulled off a 28-yard catch-and-run within the second half. Each Jones and Zappe overshot him on performs that had an opportunity to be massive gainers. Bourne can be a useful commerce pickup for a contender.

Grievance of the sport

Colleague Ben Volin wrote at better size about this, so I’ll shortly second the notion. Belichick’s determination to punt on fourth and three from the Saints’ 40 down, 24-0, early within the third quarter was a permission slip to take a look at. No, the Patriots weren’t coming again. Since when does that imply you cease making an attempt?

Three notes scribbled within the margins

Predicted rating: Saints 17, Patriots 13

Ultimate rating: Saints 34, Patriots 0

I’m most likely in a tiny minority with this, however I nonetheless get why Belichick moved on from Jakobi Meyers and introduced in JuJu Smith-Schuster. Their manufacturing was comparatively comparable, and Smith-Schuster was speculated to be higher after the catch, which is one thing the Patriots wanted. However whether or not it’s due to match, harm, or simply the same old horrible participant analysis, Smith-Schuster has been a catastrophe. Smith-Schuster had three catches for six yards earlier than departing after taking a shot to the top within the third quarter. He now has 14 catches for 86 yards on the season. He had extra receiving yards than that in 5 completely different video games final yr for the Chiefs. Mohamed Sanu had a greater run right here than this man . . . You realize what constitutes a heads-up play for the Patriots lately? Jabrill Peppers having the presence of thoughts to bat the ball out of bounds after fumbling a punt return . . . For a quick stretch within the second quarter, the cable and streaming feed for the sport went black. Was I the one one who was effective with that so long as it was again for the Celtics preseason sport at 6 p.m.?