Lost: Top 10 Reasons For Patriots' Forgettable Season

From the team that took the field in Week 1, the New England Pats on Sunday night in Denver will be missing their starting quarterback, best running back, best offensive lineman, top tight end (potentially), leading receiver, best pass-rusher, best cornerback, best kick returner, offensive line coach and receivers coach.

Weather forecast in Denver Sunday night calls for snow and temperatures in the 20s. And with a certain result - hint, it's not a victory - the reality of the No. 1 overall pick in next April's NFL Draft could be one step closer.

White Christmas plus Caleb Williams? Yes, please.

Bottom line: Yes, there are reasons to at least have the TV tuned into New England Patriots-Denver Broncos late on Christmas Eve while stuffing your face with food and your ears with conversations with family. The 3-11 Pats enter Week 16 trending toward their worst season in 30 years.

If we opened this season under the tree, we'd feel sure it was a White Elephant gag gift. Right?

Cred: USA Today Images

While there aren't excuses for the Pats being the worst team in the AFC, there are reasons. Just think back to training camp four months ago and who they were counting on to be big contributors this season.

From the team that took the field in Week 1, the Pats on Sunday night in Denver will be missing their starting quarterback, best running back, best offensive lineman, top tight end (potentially), leading receiver, best pass-rusher, best cornerback, best kick returner, offensive line coach and receivers coach.

Thanks to everything from injury to incompetence to intangibles, it's a staggering litany of losses:

1. Mac Jones - Expected to have a bounce-back year under new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, he lost his confidence behind shoddy protection and finally his job after Thanksgiving.

2. Matthew Judon - Pro Bowl pass-rusher had four sacks in three games when he suffered a season-ending biceps injury in a 38-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys Oct. 1.

3. Christian Gonzalez - Was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month when his season also ended in Dallas thanks to a shoulder injury.

4. Kendrick Bourne - Led team and was among league leaders in all receiving categories when he suffered a torn ACL in Week 8.

5. Marcus Jones - A Pro Bowl kick-returner as a rookie in 2022, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the upset win over the Buffalo Bills Oct. 22.

6. Adrian Klemm, Ross Douglas - Klemm, the first-year coach, has been gone since early November dealing with a still undisclosed "health reason." Douglas left the team earlier this month, taking a step back to college and a lateral job to be the receivers coach at Syracuse.

7. Rhamondre Stevenson - Had three consecutive 85+ yard rushing games before suffering a sprained ankle early in the dreadful 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers Dec. 3.

Will Patriots Injuries Let Belichick Off The Hook?

8. Jack Jones - When the talented-but-troubled second-year player was cut in November, it left the Pats without three of their top four cover cornerbacks (Jones, Gonzalez and Marcus Jones) coming out of camp. And now an emergency replacement - J.C. Jackson - is out indefinitely dealing with his mental health.

9. Cole Strange - After missing four games earlier in the year, the starting left guard and anchor of the offensive line suffered a knee injury late in last week's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and was placed on season-ending injured reserve.

10. Hunter Henry - Developing a rhythm with quarterback Bailey Zappe and with three touchdowns the last two games, he missed Wednesday's practice with a knee injury and remains questionable for Sunday night.

Furthermore, Ty Montgomery was cut and Pierre Strong Jr. traded from the running-back position. Draft choice Chad Ryland has missed seven field goals, while disappointing rookie edge-rusher Keion White has just one sack and 18 tackles after 14 games.

This haunting list doesn't even include the injury losses of defensive lineman Daniel Ekuale, linebacker Raekwon McMillan and offensive tackle Riley Reiff, or the stinging departure of talented rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham after he was signed a week ago by the Baltimore Ravens.

Great teams overcome injuries. These Patriots were fatally decimated.

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