Will New England Patriots Injuries Let Bill Belichick Off The Hook?

Amid the franchise's worst season since 1993, the New England Patriots have struggled with a lengthy injury list which includes many key contributors.

Why and how may be two of the biggest questions surrounding the New England Patriots as they endure the franchise's worst season since 1993. Why are the Patriots 3-11? How could they be this bad with legendary coach Bill Belichick, the architect of the nearly two-decade-long dynasty, still in charge? 

Well, a recent answer from Belichick himself seems to hint that a big reason for the Patriots' failures was out of his control and something nobody could have foreseen: injuries.

“At that point we had lost three starters,” Belichick said when asked to explain his rather conservative decision to punt early in the fourth quarter despite trailing by 17 points. “Worried about the pass protection. Worried about being able to execute in that situation. Felt like we were playing good defense. Get the ball back on a turnover, three-and-out, get the ball in better field position.”

Dec 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft watch the field during the warm-up period before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium.  / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots lost tight end Hunter Henry, left guard Cole Strange, and left tackle Conor McDermott, all to injuries in Sunday's loss, which only added to a lengthy list that already included other key players like Rhamondre Stevenson, Matthew Judon, Christian Gonzalez, Kendrick Bourne, among others. 

Belichick's answer will certainly prompt a litany of "what-if" scenarios for fans to think about as the season finally winds down, like what if the Patriots were at or near some semblance of full strength on the offensive line and still had their top playmakers in Rhamondre Stevenson and Kendrick Bourne? 

Does that slight difference in the Patriots' injury luck change any of their fortunes? Does it at least help the play of Mac Jones somewhat resemble what it was to start the season? None of those answers will be known, but injuries certainly provide Belichick and the Patriots an excuse for what has transpired this season. 

However, even with the injuries, blame can still be placed at Belichick's door, as it doesn't entirely excuse him from the all too familiar criticisms about his roster-building decisions. 

Reinforcements: Patriots Sign Quarterback, Running Back

The two free agent signings of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki haven't exactly panned out as the Patriots would've hoped. The specific decision to seemingly take Smith-Schuster over re-signing Jakobi Meyers looks even worse when comparing the production of the two this season. 

Many may even criticize the Patriots' latest draft class as they took both a kicker and punter when it could've been argued that their need at receiver and elsewhere should have been a higher priority. 

While injuries certainly played a part in how disastrous the Patriots season has unfolded, it doesn't seem to matter, as recent reports have indicated that Belichick's future in Foxboro appears to be running out.

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