Typically at this point in any season, there are mixed reactions to how the team is doing and where they might go as the season progresses. There is debate about how good a team really is, or who seems to be the front-runner for the Super Bowl, and the Patriots have been part of that debate for years.
That is, until now.
After losing to the Colts in Week 10, New England now enters its bye week with a 2-8 record. This is their worst record since Tom Brady was drafted and this season is very unfamiliar to most Patriots fans.
Efforts have been made to try and explain what exactly caused the Patriots to fall out of favor so quickly and severely due to the franchise’s struggles over the years since the legendary quarterback brought his talents to Florida State. With Mac Jones’ apparent return and Bill Belichick’s questionable decision-making, this has become a topic of more discussion this season.
Both have found themselves at the center of some of the biggest controversy of the season as they appear to bear the brunt of all the blame for their performances so far this year. It all culminated in them asking to be fired midway through the season, or at the latest after Week 18, a move that seemed impossible before the year began.
But as the season progresses, and the team’s current performance creates unease about what might happen in the future, most believe changes need to be made immediately.
As the bye week continues, perhaps it will become clearer what Robert Kraft’s immediate intentions are. But before that happens, Tom Brady addressed the current state of his former longtime team on a new episode of “Let’s Go!” podcast, offering advice and defending his former coach in the process.
“You’ve got to change your strategies, different weeks have different challenges, and I think the Patriots, they’re just going through a rough patch and just not playing with the confidence that you’ve been seeing. Obviously Coach Belichick , I think the way he coaches now is no different than the way he coached when we were undefeated. There are a lot of things that need to be done in order to win and be successful.”
As a retired player, his perspective is fascinating, especially when he talks about the Patriots. We know how connected he is to the team from top to bottom, and while he tends to shy away from truly criticizing them, while that makes sense, he’s generally right.
Brady is absolutely right about the need for a change of strategy, but the problem is the current state of the season. Heading into Week 11; the Patriots’ season is essentially over, so do they need to consider a change of strategy at this point?
Then there’s his belief in Belichick, who said he doesn’t see his coaching being any different than the one he coached during the 2007 season when the team was undefeated. He may be right about that, but Belichick’s consistent demeanor appears to have changed in recent weeks, leading many to believe he may no longer be the coach he was before.
Brady continued to defend the Patriots, mentioning that people always want to blame each other when the team loses, but celebrate everyone when the team wins, potentially defending Belichick’s recent accusations. He feels that’s what’s happening to the Patriots right now, as they face their worst record in more than two decades.
“The more I sit back and watch – when you win as an organization, everybody wants to celebrate; everybody has a responsibility. The same thing, when you lose, everybody has a responsibility. When you win, Everybody can’t be on the bus and get off.” Get on the bus when you lose and (say) “Let’s point the finger at one person.” When you see failure, you see organizational failure, The fan base failed as well; everyone was in it together. “
This is where the Patriots are now, with people pointing fingers in all directions and fans demanding someone be held accountable for getting the team to this point. Since they’re typically a tight-lipped team, it’s unlikely this will happen publicly, but Kraft’s actions between now and the offseason could provide a deeper look into what’s going on behind the scenes.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
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