The Patriots Have Run Out of Moral Victories

Four weeks ago we had a vintage Sunday afternoon in Foxborough. The Patriots played a great game against the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, with a fiery fourth quarter comeback taking the game to the wire. Tom Brady made his signature trip down the sideline into the end zone, firing up the crowd with his trademark “let's go”. The issue is, though, was that Brady wasn’t playing. Brady couldn’t suit up to lead the comeback. Nonetheless, it was a special day. The Patriots looked like they could compete. Tom Brady was home, delivering an emotional halftime speech to the 65,000 fans at Gillette Stadium. Mac Jones was finally hitting his stride in Bill O'Brien's offense. All of New England was labeling the game the dreaded “moral victory,” with big things on the way.

In the National Football League, though, moral victories never exist. Every loss is a loss, and every win is a win. In Week 2, the Patriots found themselves in yet another second half hole in a game that they absolutely should’ve been leading. More offensive blunders ruined a stellar defensive effort against a dynamic Dolphins offense. But still, there was great reason to be optimistic. Once again, we showed we could compete against the best teams in the league. Great frustration, at least for me, built over the blown opportunities in both games, the Pats had drives to win the game in the final minutes, and made most of Patriot nation long for the days that comeback drives in the closing moments felt automatic.

But even with the optimism surrounding the opening weeks of the season, the problems were glaring, and they were exactly what most pundits predicted over the summer. The lack of playmaking ability on the outside and the hodgepodge offensive line have significantly handicapped the Patriots’ ability to score. And, after getting away with it for the first three weeks, they were brutally exposed in Dallas in the largest beatdown of Bill Belichick’s tenure. It was, from start to finish, a pathetic performance by New England, and by far the worst game of Mac Jones’ career.

So now, the Patriots are left in a precarious position. They sit at 1-3, with a flailing offense that has scored the second least points in the league so far, and a defense that will now be without its two best players for an extended period of time. Matthew Judon’s bicep injury and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Month Christian Gonzalez’s dislocated shoulder are reported to be extended blows. My problem is that this team has shown such great flashes. First of all (and something that should be overwhelmingly obvious), tanking is not an option (mostly due to this coach and owner, but also due to simple morals). It also should not be considered whatsoever due to the talent on this roster. This talent is still good. This football team is still good. And if they can’t put the pieces together, then so be it. But right now, four weeks into the season, is not the time to pull the plug, and pulling the plug at any point on Bill Belichick is just irresponsible. He’s endured slow starts before. He can do it again.

So, with that out of the way, what needs to be done now? First, Mac Jones is the quarterback. Though horrible on Sunday, he played great otherwise. The system looks right for him. Rhamondre Stevenson needs to get back to his 2022 self for the offense to get cooking. We’re built around his explosiveness, and thus far, it has been nonexistent. If this he is the receiving core and the veterans are gonna be as middling as they’ve shown, then it’s time for Demario Douglas to be the guy. He’s a playmaking stud, and deserves the reps. The defense will continue to do its thing. The toughest part of the schedule is over. Believe in Bill, and believe that they will figure it out. Playoffs.

George Leness