New England Patriots: Does worst start since 2002 sound the alarms?

At 2-3, the New England Patriots are off to their worst start since the 2002 season.

Throughout the past two decades, the New England Patriots have been one of the most consistent and successful franchises in the NFL. With six Super Bowl championships and nine trips to the Big Game under two respective GOATs (head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady), Beantown has experienced a level of success that was lacking for decades before Belichick’s arrival in 2001.

Fast forward to 2020, however, and Belichick is still in control. Brady, on the other hand, departed for Tampa Bay. To replace the six-time Super Bowl-winner, the Patriots signed Cam Newton, a former league MVP and a man with a chip on his shoulder to be a leader and regain his former form.

Through five weeks and following an 18-12 upset loss to the Drew Lock- led Denver Broncos, though, the Patriots are a game under .500 at 2-3 and sit third in the AFC East standing, a division which they’ve won all but twice in the last two decades. But with their worst start since the 2002 season — a year in which they finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs — it may be an uphill climb from here on out in the 2020 NFL season.

The New England Patriots must step up if they want to win the AFC East.

Tom Brady is not coming back this year and will likely only be in a Patriots jersey again at his Hall of Fame enshrinement or a number retirement ceremony. This is Cam Newton’s team and he must find a way to navigate the troubled waters.

Without question, New England needs playmakers at the wide receiver position. In fact, the offense needs a major retooling overall. The defense can’t carry the load forever. To hold the Broncos to only field goals for the entire afternoon in Week 6 and not win the game signifies a glaring weakness.

The offense needs to pick up the slack if the team wants to continue a winning tradition that has been established over the last two decades.

Lock was coming back from an injury and the Broncos mostly had their reserves in and they still managed to win. That alone has to leave Belichick fuming under his normally cold stare glare.

There is no need for a rah-rah speech or a press conference of being on to Cincinnati. A turnaround requires going back and not only taking care of their health but getting back on the practice field and establishing a level of discipline that is required to win in the NFL. If not, the losses will continue to mount as much as the snow that will set over Boston in the coming months.