The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Patriots not quite back yet after another early playoff exit
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Talk of a resurgence by the New England Patriots this season appears to have been a bit premature.
A 10-win season following a 7-9 finish in 2020 would be a sign of progress for almost any other NFL team. Yet for a franchise that has grown accustomed to making deep postseason runs, the quick exit from the playoffs is a signal there’s still much work to do.
The Patriots started 2-4 before winning seven straight games and climbing to the No. 1 seed in the AFC in early December. It had echoes of what they routinely did on their way to six Super Bowl championships and nine conference titles during Tom Brady’s 20-year tenure.
It was all a mirage. During the seven-game streak the Chargers were the only team the Patriots beat at full strength. Their losses against teams with winning records — Miami, Tampa Bay, Buffalo, New Orleans, Indianapolis and
Dallas — also showed something about their vulnerabilities on both sides of the ball, despite each of those games being close.
Their narrow Week 13 win at AFC East champion Buffalo to cap their win streak was also exposed as fool’s gold following their 47-17 blowout wild-card loss to the Bills. It was New England’s most lopsided loss in the playoffs during coach Bill Belichick’s tenure, and second straight wildcard round exit following their home loss to Tennessee to end the 2019 season.
“We had our ups and downs in the season, slower start, some higher points in the middle of the season, and didn’t finish the way that we wanted to,” coach Bill Belichick said. “I think we need to, and we’ll go back, and take a longer view of just everything.”
The Patriots now enter the offseason as a team still very much in transition two seasons after Brady’s departure. Yet there is hope his long-term replacement is already in their locker room.
Rookie quarterback Mac
Jones at times made a case he could be the future in New England, leading all rookies in passing yards (3,801) and touchdown passes (22). But he needs development after throwing seven interceptions over his final five games, along with more explosive receivers to throw the ball to.
Jones does have a solid foundation to build on as the only quarterback selected in the first round of the 2021 draft to qualify for the playoffs.
“For me, obviously I was a rookie and I played like that sometimes and I shouldn’t have, and I can play better and that’s my goal this offseason is just to advance and bring the guys along with me,” he said. “I know we have a lot of progress to make and I’ll just feel more comfortable with anything you do a second time around: schedule, routine, everything.”
Special teams captain Matt Slater, the team’s longest-tenured player, said these past two seasons have been a dose of reality he’s never had to deal with in his 14 seasons.