FOXBOROUGH – This has been a strange year in New England.
For the first time in over a decade, Bill Belichick didn’t grace the sideline. With a new head coach, this marked a new chapter of Patriots football. Unfortunately, this didn’t go as smoothly as anyone thought.
Jerod Mayo’s team enters this final game against the Buffalo Bills with a 3-13 record. Coming off a 4-win season, the Patriots didn’t have high expectations but they thought they would improve. That didn’t exactly happen.
Now, the Patriots hold the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. If they lose, they secure that top spot. If they win, they’ll still have a top-5 pick.
This is a strange game where losing benefits the franchise but hurts the coaching staff. It remains to be seen what changes will come to this organization after this game but Sunday’s contest marks the bookend to this disappointing 2024 season.
Here are five things to watch:
No. 1 pick watch
This is simple. If the Patriots lose on Sunday, they secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That’s arguably the best thing that could happen to this franchise. That scenario would give the Patriots a chance to either draft the best player available (such as Travis Hunter) or trade down and get more assets.
If the Patriots defeat the Buffalo Bills, fans need to watch the scoreboard to see what happens next. There are three other teams that have the same 3-13 record. So if the Patriots win, their draft spot depends on what happens with the New York Giants (vs. Philadelphia), Tennessee (vs. Houston), and Cleveland (vs. Baltimore). If all those teams win, the Patriots will pick fourth.
How long will Drake Maye play?
Patriots coaches said that Drake Maye will start in the team’s regular-season finale. However, it’ll be interesting to see how long Maye lasts. Although coaches have said the goal is to win, it’s also clear that losing might benefit the franchise more in the long run.
If the Patriots opt to play Maye the entire game then it’s clear that there are no signs of tanking. However, if Maye comes out of this game and is replaced by third-string quarterback Joe Milton III, it will signal that the coaching staff understands how important the team’s draft position is.
Alex Van Pelt
Alex Van Pelt came into a tough situation with a rookie quarterback, an underwhelming offensive line, and no elite pass-catching options. There is a laundry list of excuses as to why the Patriots offense is ranked 30th in the NFL. Van Pelt deserves some but not all the blame for the team’s failures this season.
Will Sunday be his last game as the Patriots offensive coordinator? The veteran coach is well-liked in the locker room and has player support. It’ll be interesting to see how he calls Sunday’s game and if he adds any new wrinkles before this disappointing season ends.
Is Cole Strange the future at center?
There weren’t many positives to take out of the Patriots embarrassing loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. However, Mayo pointed to one – Cole Strange played well in his first NFL start at center.
The Patriots 2022 first-round pick and former starting left guard could play a big role for the team going forward. With David Andrews, coming off a torn rotator cuff, nearing the end of his career, the Patriots need a firm plan at center. If Strange plays well on Sunday, against a tough defensive line, he could be the future starting center in Foxborough.
Boo birds
As the fourth quarter went on, Patriots fans had enough last weekend. That’s why multiple ‘Fire Mayo’ chants broke out inside Gillette Stadium. Those words combined with boos from the home crowd irked multiple Patriots veterans. It’ll be fascinating to see how the crowd responds on Sunday.
With the No. 1 pick hanging in the balance, will the home crowd boo if the Patriots take the lead or win the game? Will there be louder chants calling for the job of Mayo? How many people will show up to this game to watch the Bills backups? It could be ugly in several different ways.
Prediction: Bills 17, Patriots 13
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