Belichick slams Patriots after 3-10 start to season on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots weren’t a good team at the end of Bill Belichick’s long tenure as head coach, but you could argue they’ve gotten worse since he left the franchise in January.
The Patriots went 4-13 in 2023, Belichick’s last in charge. They are 3-10 so far this season entering their Week 14 bye, and if you look at the rest of their schedule, it’s hard to imagine New England winning another game.
Belichick was asked about the Patriots’ struggles during Monday’s episode Let’s go! podcast with co-host Jim Gray, and the eight-time Super Bowl champion gave an honest assessment of his former team.
“Yeah, didn’t do enough to win a lot of games at some level,” Belichick said. “They’ve had problems on defense. One of the last ranked teams on offense, if not the bottom ranked. Also missed some important field goals and some kicking plays.
“So I’d say all three areas of the game weren’t good enough to win. And they still have a few games left against Buffalo, right? They have a bye week this week, so maybe they can get a few things straightened out, but it’s a pretty Had an inconsistent year not doing enough to win when they needed to.”
Belichick then admitted that he feels for the players on the current roster who are enduring this tough season.
“There’s a lot of guys that (I’m) very close to,” Belichick said. “A lot of them I brought in there, especially defensively. Almost all the players are re-signed and most of the offensive skill players as well. So it’s hard to see them go through a season like this.
“It’s nothing for me to do, I mean, just sit back and watch. But, of course, yeah, I feel bad for a lot of them, especially the defensive players. I know these guys work hard. They’re tough and they care and they It puts a lot into it.”
Belichick’s criticism of his former team is justified.
The defense has taken quite a step back from last season, though that unit has missed many key players due to injuries and departures. Christian Gonzalez is playing like an All-Pro cornerback in his second campaign, but there aren’t as many players on that side of the ball as expected.
The offense looks better with rookie quarterback Drake May under center, and his development has been very encouraging for the franchise. But apart from the mother, there isn’t much to like from Crime.
Young wide receivers have largely been ineffective. More specifically, rookie wideouts Ja’lin Polk and Javon Baker, whom the Patriots selected in the second and fourth rounds, respectively, look like busts. New England’s third-down offense and red-zone offense have also had problems.
The Patriots have the toughest remaining schedule in the league, based on a combined .708 winning percentage over their last four opponents. If the Patriots don’t win another game, they will have a season of four or fewer wins, something that hasn’t happened to this team since 1967 through 1970.
