After the dubious loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London two weeks ago, the fear was the Patriots might not win another game the rest of the way.
With six straight losses in hand, they’d no doubt add on, and get closer to running the table with defeats. That sure seemed like their fate.
Instead, the Patriots rose up and stopped the bleeding. Their upset win over New York Jets halted the losing skid. It also lifted the pall hanging over Jerod Mayo’s locker room.
All of which begs the question: Now what?
Where do the Patriots go from here?
There’s nine games still to play starting with today’s tilt against the Tennessee Titans, who are 1-6. And looking at the slate ahead, three of their opponents, including the Titans, have losing records. Two (Indianapolis, Arizona) sit at .500, while only two (Buffalo, LA Chargers) have winning records.
- BETTING: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
All of this is a long way of saying the Patriots have a chance to brighten the outlook in Foxborough a smidge. They’re capable of winning more games. Even with a 2-6 start, they should be trying to win as many as possible.
“Momentum is extremely important, especially in this game, or in sports in general,” defensive lineman Keion White said when asked about the possibility of stacking wins. “You just feed off the energy. We’re just trying to build on that (Jets win).”
With a schedule that isn’t quite as daunting as first feared, coming away with at least four more wins isn’t an unattainable goal. As bad as the Patriots have looked at times, it seems doable, especially with Drake Maye leading the charge. There’s no question he’s made strides, and having cleared concussion protocol on Saturday, is expected to start against the Titans.
Monitoring Maye’s progress has provided enough impetus for fans to tune in and watch. Thus far, he’s given them plenty to see.
“He’s getting better every week,” Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said Thursday, evaluating the rookie’s play after three starts. “Decision-making is exceptional. He knows where to go with the football. Some of the stuff he does in practice, understanding where he’s going to be hot, how to handle some of the pressure issues, that gets better every week.
“The throws down the field in practice, the accuracy he shows on some of the deeper throws, that’s been there and continues to be there. Just the maturation of a young quarterback, finding something to get better at every week.”
The Patriots most important mission this season revolves around Maye and his development.
To this point, Van Pelt, QB coach T.C. McCartney and senior offensive assistant Ben McAdoo have done a good job getting their prized asset NFL-ready. Maye looks the part. He’s done nothing to suggest he won’t live up to expectations.
So that’s been more than encouraging. Beyond Maye, it’s all about the team making progress collectively. That means from the newbie coaching staff on out.
After a half-dozen losses, and some tumult inside the locker room, the Patriots regained their footing before slipping any lower.
But they’re not out of the woods. Going backwards and losing to teams with similar records (Tennessee, Miami, LA Rams) will do them no favors. Earning more victories against the beatable opponents, going back-to-back with Jets and Titans, will work wonders for Mayo and the staff.
The Patriots need to show they’re actually building toward something, and building around their promising young quarterback. And Maye, in turn, has to keep the arrow pointing upward. He has to continue improving and moving the needle with every remaining game.
Mostly, the Patriots need to re-establish New England as a desirable landing spot for free agents. Along with the draft, free agency is their ticket back to respectability. The Patriots can’t continue to have the top free agents sidestep them and head elsewhere.
Mayo said during the week the goal is to be better as the season goes along, and “be one of those teams that no one wants to play at the end of the year.”
Working toward that identity is a good place to start. The Patriots should want to be competitive in the nine remaining games. They need to show more reason for hope.
This can’t be a prolonged rebuilding process. The Patriots need to get up off the mat, and get back into contention within a three-year window, or preferably less.
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday. The Patriots would love to acquire as many draft assets as possible to allow them the flexibility to move up the board for desired players next year.
They’ve already traded Joshua Uche for a sixth-round pick. There’s likely more to come – all in the name of re-tooling the roster next year, and building on the progress the team should be making from here on out.
“That’s the goal, especially with a team that’s as young as we are, and as new to the NFL as we are,” said White, a 2023 second-round pick. “Progression is the only thing we can do. We can only go up from here.”
