As a lifelong Patriots fan, it is hard to come to terms with the fact that the 2022/23 season already seems to be a lost cause. With the Bills and Dolphins strengthening, New England will be hard pressed to finish above third in their division, let alone in one of the Wild Card places.
Last season was a welcome surprise for most Patriots fans as many predicted the Pats would be competing for the 1st overall pick, not 1st place in the AFC East for the majority of the season.
Still, the way the Patriots core of so many years fizzled out and limped to an embarrassing 47-17 loss in the Wild Card round to Buffalo was majorly disappointing.
For half of the year, the Patriots were in prime position to finish in the Top-2 places in the whole AFC. That was how good the Pats were playing for the middle part of that year. From their Week 6 loss to Dallas to their Week 15 loss to the Colts, the Patriots went 7 games unbeaten. They were the hottest team in the NFL at that point.
Then that Week 15 loss to the Colts happened. The game where the Patriots’ rushing attack was stifled, and their defense rushed off the field by soon-to-be 2022 NFL Rushing Yards Leader Jonathan Taylor. After that, the Patriots lost two of their next three (one against Buffalo, the other against Miami) games to finish 10-7 and in the Wild Card spot.
The rest you already know. Every Patriots’ fan believed that after the Buffalo catastrophe, Bill Belichick and Co. were going to retool the defense and add more pieces for Mac Jones to throw to. That hasn’t happened.
Josh McDaniels left to be the Raiders Head Coach, the only real wide receiver the Pats brought in was perennially injured, 29-year-old Devante Parker, they traded All-Pro guard Shaq Mason, and have yet to name McDaniels’ replacement as Offensive Coordinator.
It has been just as bad on defense.
The Patriots released linebackers Dont’a Hightower, Jamie Collins, and Kyle Van Noy, traded DE Chase Winovich, and let superstar cornerback J.C. Jackson walk to free agency. They replaced the three linebackers with Mack Wilson from Cleveland (I don’t know who he is either), signed Malcom Butler out of retirement, kept 34-year-old Devin McCourty as their starting free safety, and signed failed 1st Round pick Julius Peppers to be their starting strong safety.
Yeah, not a great offseason.
With the Bills signing Von Miller to a monster 6-year, $120M contract and keeping the majority of their core roster together, along with the Dolphins picking up All-Pro WR Tyrek Hill, WR Cedrick Wilson, guard Connor Williams, RB Raheem Mostert, and Pro Bowl tackle Terron Armstead, I can’t help but feel Bill Belichick let the Patriots fall behind this offseason.
Here’s hoping I’m 100% wrong, but I just can’t see how the Patriots finish anywhere higher than 8th or 9th in the AFC this upcoming season.
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