The New England Patriots’ season has gotten off to a rough start, and things are looking increasingly grim after the team took a 34-0 shutout loss to the Saints.
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How Likely Are the Patriots To Part Ways With Bill Belichick?
Prior to the matchup, head coach Bill Belichick said he believes Mac Jones can get back on track. That was not the case Sunday when Jones ended up being benched as Bailey Zappe took over.
Belichick seems ready to go back to the drawing board after the lopsided loss.
“Obviously, it was a poor performance today here,” Belichick told reporters after the game on Sunday. “Plain and simple, we’ve got to find a way to play and coach better than that. So let’s go start all over and get back on a better track than we’re on right now. Slow start, and then just couldn’t, could never really get the game under control.”
What’s happening under Belichick in New England is definitely a problem, but at what point would the franchise let go of the coach who has led the team for over two decades?
The team has not looked this rough since 2000, when they finished with a 5-11 record. Right now, at 1-4, five wins seems like a distant feat, especially considering the team could get absolutely nothing going against the 2-2 Saints.
MORE: New England Patriots Depth Chart
Prior to the Week 5 loss, the Cowboys took down the Patriots in a 38-3 blowout. The Patriots had not been blown out by 35 points since 1993, and it has nearly happened twice in consecutive weeks.
Belichick’s roster does lack talent, and Jones has struggled immensely to start the season. He was benched late in the third quarter in Week 4 against the Cowboys as he had two interceptions, one pick-six, and fumbled the ball, which was returned for a touchdown.
Against the Saints, Jones looked just as bad and was benched in the fourth quarter. He completed 12 of 22 pass attempts for 110 yards and two interceptions when Zappe took his place. This season, Jones has thrown for 898 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions.
“It was 31-0 at the end of the third quarter,” Belichick told reporters when asked why he took Jones out.
He later confirmed that Jones will remain the starter going forward and told reporters that the loss was “certainly not all on him.”
Having to bench your quarterback twice in as many weeks is definitely not a good look. Without Tom Brady, Belichick’s team has just not been able to get back to the same caliber of play.
After today’s loss, fans on social media are calling for the head coach to be fired after the team is officially off to their worst start since 2000 and has been outscored 72-3 in two weeks.
The Patriots are now 1-4, the worst start for Bill Belichick since 2000, before Tom Brady even threw a pass. pic.twitter.com/fOQV0TFncn
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 8, 2023
Over the summer, owner Robert Kraft said he would like for Belichick to break Don Shula’s all-time win record and wanted to focus on winning in the 2023 season.
“We’re about winning and doing whatever we can to win,” Kraft said. “And that’s what our focus is now. And it’s very important to me that we make the playoffs, and that’s what I hope happens next year.”
After taking home only one win through five weeks and suffering their worst home loss in history against the Saints, where is Kraft at with Belichick now?
While Belichick still has time to dig himself out of this hole, the issues on the offense are immense enough that a comeback seems very unlikely. But firing the coach midseason also seems unlikely.
MORE: 2023 NFL Offense Rankings
At the end of the day, Belichick’s tenure probably will not end before the conclusion of the season, despite how horrible of a start it has gotten off to. The coach is still highly regarded as one of the best in NFL history, and the team will likely not see success this season with or without him.
