ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Bill Belichick sounded defeated. The Patriots head coach was visibly and audibly upset following the Patriots 27-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Belichick talked in low, hushed tones and didn’t expand on much in his post-game press conference. Although that’s not completely unusual, the loss on Sunday felt different for Belichick and the Patriots.
This defeat inside Highmark Stadium sets up this Patriots team for what could be a franchise-altering offseason. With one game left in a disappointing 2023 NFL season, the Patriots dropped to 4-12 and will finish in last place in the AFC East for the first time since 2000.
On Sunday, Patriots players inside the visitor’s locker room understood what could happen following the team’s regular-season finale next weekend – Belichick could be out as the Patriots head coach.
“It’s hard to fathom, isn’t it?” Matthew Slater said about the possibility of the Patriots moving on from Belichick. “This place has been the picture of consistency and stability. So, I guess we’ll all have to kind of wait and see. But until then, all of us from top to bottom have to try and enjoy the week and make it count.”
This next week could be what’s left of the Belichick era. A future Hall of Famer and arguably the greatest coach in NFL history, Belichick’s six championship banners will forever hang inside Gillette Stadium. Next weekend, against the New York Jets, those banners will serve as a reminder of how good New England had it with Belichick at the helm.
At 71 years old, Belichick is still widely respected and highly motivated. Players fight for him and that was seen on Sunday and has been evident for most of this season. As players inside this locker room understand, the NFL is a result-based business. Belichick is heading toward his third losing season since 2020.
“It’s the NFL. It’s a business. If you don’t do your job, everything changes,” Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux said when asked about the possibility of Belichick leaving New England. “That’s what we signed up for – coaches and players. I don’t make those decisions, but change always happens when you have a losing season whether it’s one change or a bunch of changes. So, who knows? We’ll see.”
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On Sunday, Patriots players showed a level of fight that’s come to define many Patriots teams. At this point, however, it might not be enough to save Belichick’s job.
Since Tom Brady left, in 2020, the Patriots are 29-36, having won 45% of their games. Belichick’s still a great coach and that’s been evident by the way his defense has played this season. However, his role as the Patriots general manager left this 2023 team up with a lack of elite talent. His roster management and failure to develop Mac Jones set the Patriots up for their worst season since he took over in 2000.
The Patriots hit rock bottom months ago, but when they fell to 2-10, players didn’t quit. That’s also a testament to Belichick. That was seen on Sunday when his offense committed four turnovers in the first half and fell behind 20-7 to Buffalo. The Patriots battled back like they have plenty this season, and after the game, several players credited their head coach.
“I think coach obviously is No. 1 – the way he drives the ship,” David Andrews said. “We have a lot of good leaders. A lot of tough guys. Leaders on the football team aren’t just guys that are named captains. I can’t be just five-six guys pulling that rope. From the whole coaching staff to the whole team, organization, I just think guys are fighting. Got a lot of pride and I respect that.”
“I feel like he instills that in us – playing hard and how we carry ourselves,” added tackle Michael Onwenu. “We’re athletes. We’re not going to go down without a fight. We’re not just going to lie down. I think that’s our team.”
As seen on Sunday, the Patriots are still willing to fight.
“I always say teams are usually a reflection of their coach,” Slater said. “We have a coach who’s not going to quit. Who’s going to fight? Who’s going to scrap to the end and always have us prepared – regardless of the situation.”
The main problem on Sunday, however, has been a continued issue all season – the offense.
Bailey Zappe had the worst start of his NFL career, throwing three interceptions in the first quarter. Tight end Pharaoh Brown also lost a fumble. The four turnovers put the Patriots defense in horrible positions. The unit allowed 13 points off the offense’s miscues. Whether it was Jones or Zappe behind center, this offensive unit has rarely looked good enough this season.
That falls on the man in charge.
The Patriots offensive line heads into their final game having allowed 41 sacks. That’s the same as last year’s sack total. That marks the most sacks allowed by a Patriots team since 2008 (48). Over the last two years, the Patriots have now allowed 82 sacks. That’s the most since the 2000 and 2001 seasons (94 sacks allowed).
The Patriots failure to adequately protect their quarterbacks is only rivaled by the fact their receivers aren’t good enough. This past week, the team placed JuJu Smith-Schuster on the injured reserve. The Patriots opted to sign Smith-Schuster over Jakobi Meyers. Smith-Schuster finished with 29 receptions, 260 yards, and one touchdown. Meyers heads into the final week of the season with 68 receptions, 746 yards and seven touchdowns.
Belichick could’ve remedied this by signing DeAndre Hopkins, who took a free-agent visit to Foxborough. Instead, he signed with Tennessee, who offered him more guaranteed money. Hopkins heads into the final game with 68 receptions, 1,011 yards, and six touchdowns.
Belichick’s personal decisions on offense are the reasons why the Patriots are 4-12 – not his coaching. That puts owner Robert Kraft in a difficult position. If he parts ways with Belichick, the longtime Patriots coach will become a hot coaching candidate and whoever Kraft brings in, will have to follow in the footsteps of the greatest to ever do it.
With one week left, the Patriots might be heading for a franchise reset. Following Sunday’s loss, players understand what that meant as they prepare for their final game of this season.
“I just know when seasons like this happen, change is always coming,” Godchaux said. “We’ll see.”
On Sunday even, Belichick was standing at the podium when a reporter from Buffalo stated, “You’re one of the greatest coaches of all time, 4-12 isn’t the standard. How do you plan to restore the Patriot way at this point, coach?”
“Yeah, we’ll get ready for the Jets next week,” Belichick said.
The Patriots coach stood at the podium for five seconds before stepping down off a platform and heading toward the exit. The door behind him quickly swung closed as the greatest coach in NFL history walked back to the Patriots bus where he’d get on the team plane and head back to New England.
By the time the plane landed on Sunday, there were hours left in 2023. By the time the sun came up on Monday morning, it marked the beginning of a new year and what could be the last week for Belichick as the Patriots head coach.
As Slater said, “It’s hard to fathom, isn’t it?”
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