Patriots stands out as the NFL’s worst staff and Bill Belichick is out of solutions

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Bill Belichick was executed. He had been requested 22 questions over 4 minutes and muttered his method by means of them with temporary solutions about how everybody on his struggling staff had been informed to be able to play. He didn’t need any extra. So he softly put his proper hand down like a gavel, abruptly ending his postgame news convention.

Bill Belichick Live Postgame Press Conference: https://t.co/gpm9zzq8YC

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 26, 2023

The 71-year-old coach exited down a tunnel and took a proper flip previous the soccer discipline at MetLife Stadium, the place his New England Patriots had simply misplaced 10-7 to a backup, undrafted rookie quarterback and a New York Giants staff that had been among the many NFL’s worst.

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Three months right into a dysfunctional season, there’s no sense in ignoring the apparent. After 9 losses in 11 video games and with a quarterback scenario that’s turning this once-proud franchise right into a laughingstock, Belichick is out of solutions. The methods and stunts he has pulled haven’t labored. His staff hasn’t responded. His roster stinks. And his explanations for the way it acquired this dangerous are even worse.

“I told everybody to be ready to go,” Belichick mentioned 4 totally different instances.

All of this, in fact, results in the uncomfortable query that’s going to hover over the ultimate six video games this season. Is Belichick going to be again? Are these the ultimate video games of a superb profession, one which’s ending with an implosion that when appeared unfathomable?

What query may very well be extra essential than that after watching the product put forth by Belichick’s staff Sunday? He tried one thing totally different this week, an try and jump-start a feeble offense that’s dragging this staff down. Belichick determined not to call a beginning quarterback. He let Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe get apply reps with the beginning offense, hoping certainly one of them can be so good {that a} choice can be made for him.

Instead, it was one more Belichick choice (or indecision?) that backfired for this staff. Belichick is similar coach who in 2001 defined Tom Brady getting apply reps over Drew Bledsoe by saying {that a} staff can’t cut up up these periods with a number of quarterbacks as a result of they’re too worthwhile — that lacking any snaps hinders the beginning QB’s preparation.

But 12 weeks into this season, Belichick cut up the apply reps between Jones and Zappe. Perhaps it needs to be no shock, then, that each struggled.

The argument right here isn’t for certainly one of Jones or Zappe. In truth, there’s loads of proof to counsel each are dangerous.

But relatively than have them compete for the beginning job this late within the season, it’s the coach’s job to decide and do all the pieces to get that quarterback prepared.

If you wish to play Jones, attempt to construct up his confidence. Back him publicly. Do what you possibly can to ensure he doesn’t have powerful choices to make. See if operating the ball works.

Otherwise, make the swap to Zappe. It can be simple to say Jones is unfixable at this level. Go to Zappe. Spend every week getting him able to play. Scheme up a easy, unsophisticated offense he can grasp.

😶 pic.twitter.com/W6oVnXLoc8

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 26, 2023

Instead, Belichick selected an inexplicable midseason competitors that introduced out the worst in each quarterbacks. They made nearly equivalent interceptions into double (or was it triple?) protection.

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The transfer most likely did irreversible harm to Jones, who was benched for the fourth time in 11 video games this season. He appears fully damaged and in want of a contemporary begin someplace else. So the Patriots most likely have to show to Zappe, though his summer season was so dangerous that the Patriots lower him earlier than Week 1. The second-year man has carried out so poorly this season that he couldn’t even beat out Jones for the beginning job Sunday.

It has all mixed to make this a misplaced season. It doesn’t matter what the remainder of the staff does as a result of the offense is so dangerous. The Patriots scored three touchdowns and simply 30 factors in all of November.

“Just bad quarterback play,” Jones mentioned Sunday, summing issues up aptly. “If the quarterback doesn’t play well, you’ve got no chance.”

Such has been — and can proceed to be — the case with the Patriots in 2023.

Even if proprietor Robert Kraft hasn’t mentioned something publicly in regards to the job safety of the one head coach he has employed for the final 24 years, anybody following the staff is aware of that Belichick’s seat is a lot heat. Kraft anticipated this season to finish with a playoff berth.

Instead, his franchise has change into a mockery. JuJu Smith-Schuster was yelling at coach Troy Brown on the sideline Sunday. As punishment for lacking curfew, gamers are being left at dwelling for highway video games (J.C. Jackson) or lower outright (Jack Jones). The Patriots have gained two video games this season and none since Oct. 22. Their offense is tough to look at — and was simply vastly outplayed by a Giants unit led by Tommy DeVito. No one is aware of who the starter is on the sport’s most essential choice. And they’re nearing a stretch of three straight prime-time video games wherein the nation might be pressured to take a seat and watch what has change into of Belichick’s staff.

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Patriots should not hearth Bill Belichick now, however after the season, all bets are off

This season is not about making the playoffs. That dream died a very long time in the past. These remaining few video games are an opportunity for Belichick to point out why he ought to stay in control of making all football-related choices for the Patriots. It can’t simply be about resting on his six Super Bowl rings — not when the Patriots have change into a laughingstock.

But the outcomes up to now have been downright embarrassing. The Patriots failed to attain a landing in Germany and misplaced to Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts. They had two weeks to sort things. Instead, they concocted a meaningless quarterback competitors that yielded poor play from each. Any go both quarterback throws downfield looks like a hold-your-breath, pray-it’s-not-an-interception try.

Now, after a loss to the pitiful Giants that drops them to 2-9, the Patriots are in a spot they haven’t been in a long time. They may be the worst staff within the NFL. And the proof is piling up that Belichick not has the solutions to repair it.

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