After a blowout loss to the 49ers, the Patriots have now lost three in a row.
Since 2002, the New England Patriots had not lost three games in a row. That is, they hadn’t accomplished that dubious feat until the 2020 NFL season when the San Francisco 49ers arrived in Week 7.
Sunday’s 33-6 loss to the visitors from the west coast dropped New England to 2-4 on the season and handed them their worst home loss under head coach Bill Belichick. Additionally, this is the only third time in the future Hall of Famer’s tenure that the Patriots lost by more than 27+ points.
Their first loss was the widest margin. Coming in 2003, fans will remember it as the Lawyer Milloy revenge game in which the former safety enacted revenge on his former team with the companionship of Drew Bledsoe to the tune of 31-0.
The second incident is more recent, taking place on a Monday Night Football in Kansas City where New England fell to the Chiefs 41-14, leading to the famous “On to Cincinnati” press conference. Ironically, it was there that 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, then with the Patriots, threw his first NFL pass.
The Patriots are not heading in the right direction this season.
After each of those performances, New England went on to win the Super Bowl. This year, on the other hand, that is not even close to being a possibility.
In back to back games, quarterback Cam Newton has not thrown any touchdown passes while throwing multiple interceptions. Sunday’s loss was no different and Newton was eventually benched for Jarrett Stidham, who did little to help the cause.
The offense on the other hand was once again lethargic and disappointing and that did little to help the defense who allowed their highest point total this season since the Seattle game.
Against San Francisco, New England allowed a total of 197 yards on the ground and 460 total yards, not the numbers you would expect from a Bill Belichick coached team. In fact, this roster so far this year, resembles the 2000 season in which the Patriots went 5-11 in their first season under Belichick.
There is no time to mope given how both the Dolphins and the Bills are ahead of them in the division. Next up for the Patriots is a matchup with the division-leading Bills. Though Buffalo looked pedestrian in a win over the Jets, they will no doubt be prepared for this game.
The Patriots? If they want to salvage the season, they best be ready or the outcome will be far more consequential.