Patriots 2023 Season Thread

www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/after-being-outscored-72-3-in-two-weeks-bill-belichick-says-patriots-will-start-over

“Obviously it was a poor performance today here,” Belichick told reporters after the game. “So just plain and simply, we’ve got to find a way to play and coach better than that. So that’s what we are going to do, start all over and get back on a better track than we’re on right now. Slow start. And then just couldn’t ever really get the game under control.”

Start over? Like redraft the 2016-2023 classes? That would be good.

Seriously, how are they going to fix the OL at this point in the season? Maybe Onwenu starts playing better. Although Trent Brown could, just as easily, play worse.

The state of the team didnt happen over night. It is the result of years of poor drafting, mediocre free agent signings, reliance on flawed players, and some bad luck with injuries this year.

Joe Murray had an interesting question. The Patriots were 3rd and short 12 times and ran the ball once, why?

I might have missed if he was referencing just this week or in general. It might include Zappe and 4th downs. I was positive he was only talking about the Saints game. I'll have to try and track down these numbers at some point now. The point he seems to be hammering that no one else is really driving at is that O'Brien has made things worse than Patricia. Still blames Bill Belichick, but the play calling has not helped anyone and everyone on the offense has regressed. Mac Jones is worse. Zappe is worse. Stevens is worse. No one has improved.

Our new OC isn't really helping. So many two and 3 TE sets, with only one good blocking TE. Always trying to run up the middle. Mix it up, insert some extra OL guys, Wheatley is know as a good run blocker. Then five WR sets.

OL coach going from zone blocking to power style system is likely part of the issues also.

Jones needs a strong run game to help set up the pass, that's how this team is built minus the OL needed to do that. You have to find a way to run. It's like he think Mac Jones is Brady, he's not.

At this point putting 3 QBs on game day roster, with Cunningham having a Hill on Saints like Role seems like something you almost need to try. Last year people complained they changed it up too much, this year they just do the same thing and are crazy predictable. Where's the different offensive game plans for different teams? Where's the trick plays? It's the NFL you can't do they same thing every week. Like using that 3 TE set with JuJu as the one WR that you run almost everytime you do that.

Yeah Mac Jones has been horrible the last two games, he missed throws with a clean pocket by a lot to Bourne and Parker. Our OC needs to do a lot more though, our OL coach needs to be better. Onwenu has left every game he's played in, if he's not healthy sit him and get him healthy.

I shouldn't care, the season is already over, but it's crazy after last year. Everyone raved about our OC and OL coach. Boutte made some mistakes his first game, but he also got open, which has been a big issue and he doesn't play. Frankly you see why Bama fans wanted him gone!

Jackobi 75 yards and a TD.

You have 4 out of the 5 starters from last year on the OL. Trent Brown according to PFF is playing much better, you lost Andrews for games last year and had a rotating mess at RT. Everyone jumped on Matt Patricia for changing the blocking scheme. It wasn't good last year and it’s why it was my #1 need in offseason. That being said this year is much worse. It's comical the difference, last year it’s all Matt Patricia fault, literally everything. At least last year they'd create some gaps. Clearly a better fit for Stevenson running style.

The context for laughing at Matt Patricia was Mac Jones decline. The WR got more separation last year. New OC and OL coach, things have gotten worse, not better. Douglas is an explosive player you didn't have last year, a week ago they played him 18 snaps! I keep seeing Gesecki lined up in two TE formations and not out wide, where he's much better! 50% of your deep passes have gone to Bourne! These designs are making things worse, as teams just stack the box and don't have to worry about deep passes.

Cunningham isn't the answer at QB, he could be a spark like Hill has been for the Saints for years. Get the defenses adjusting and showing them different looks. You have to do something, as Bill said they have to start over.

I reached out to Joe Murray.

- Just the Saints
- Includes Zappe snaps
- Short was defined as 1-2 yards.

So in 12 attempts on 3rd and 1-2, they ran the ball once. I think that's bad even if you include Zappe. I would think even during the glorified scrimmage you'd try different things just for the sake of working on stuff and build a little confidence. 3 points is a lot different than 0.

I'm seeing crap from ex coaches claiming if Mac Jones was on 49ers, he'd be Brock Purdy. That's bullcrap, Brock was a 4 year starter on a team without much talent. He's also a much more mobile QB and running QB than Mac Jones. The biggest difference was one had it hard in college for four years and learned how to handle it. Mac Jones tape was crazy, he had it as easy as any QB have has. Elite OL, elite weapons, elite running game. Mac Jones is now trying to adjust and its not going well. Brock Purdy has it better then he ever did in College, but when things get rough he knows how to handle that. Mac Jones falls apart when things go bad.

It's why at times Zappe looked better over last two years. He has more experience with crap OL and things not going his way, other teams having more talent.

I thought O'Brian fixed that as Mac Jones was darn good for first 3 weeks. Then it's like last year again, he basically gave up against Dallas and played the same way against Saints. QBs that get jumpy and lose it against pass rush are never going to anything good.

No team in NFL has the talent gap Mac Jones excelled with in College, that's impossible in the NFL. Also remember his rookie year, while good for a rookie, he didn't play well against good teams. He just padded his stats against bad ones.

So many picks in last draft and they couldn't bring in an actual dual threat QB? My 3 targets in Hall, Tune and DTR all went in 5th round.

Anyone else wonder if the interest in Will Levis was real? He's hard given opportunity cost. Bringing in all these QBs. Yeah RJP was right and I was wrong.

While he might need another week or two to get up to speed, I actually can't wait to see Will Grier. Not that he's the likely answer, but I just want to excitement that he might be able to do something.

Bill get a mobile QB, it makes everything easier. Finding the next Brady will be impossible. Build the D and build the offense around a mobile QB that can make plays. MP was onto something last year, Mac Jones isn't good enough to dink and dunk like Brady, so he tried for big plays.

Sorry for rant, you wait so long for Football season and it's over after a few games.

It's too bad Matt Corral is dealing with whatever it is he's dealing with because he might have been starting for the Patriots this week.

That's really interesting. I would like to know more about these numbers. He doesn't come across as someone who would just straight lie on air, but that sounds like he got bad information.