Prime-Time Pratfalls: Why Patriots Shrink in Spotlight?

Continuing a troubling trend since Tom Brady departed, New England is 0-3 in prime-time games this season and only 4-10 since 2020.

Before they concern themselves with making the playoffs, the New England Patriots must prove they can win in prime time.

The Pats haven't won a marquee game under the lights and on a national TV broadcast in a full calendar year. Their last success in the spotlight: When they attempted only three passes in somehow beating the Buffalo Bills in that freezing hurricane on Dec. 6, 2021.

Since then, they've lost five consecutive prime-time games, including three this season. Since Tom Brady departed after the 2019 season, coach Bill Belichick's team is only 4-10 when playing the NFL's only game.

They play at the Arizona Cardinals on next week's Monday Night Football on ESPN, in a must-win game if they are to keep their faint playoff hopes alive. A loss and they drop to 6-7 and start focusing on 2023. A win and they're in the mix, albeit facing a gauntlet of finishing games against the playoff-bound Bengals, Dolphins and Bills.

Either way, the NFL has seen enough of the Patriots.

NBC is dumping their Dec. 18 visit to the Las Vegas Raiders from prime time. Originally figured to be a juicy reunion of Belichick vs. long-time offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Patriots-Raiders has deteriorated into merely an inconsequential sideshow between teams without winning records.

Worse, it's being replaced by a Week 15 game featuring two teams that just played to a mistake-filled tie: Giants at Commanders.

There are reasons for New England's failures in front of national audiences, of course. Prime-time matchups usually ramp up the competition. The Patriots last two losses have been showcase games against the Super-Bowl contending Minnesota Vikings and Bills. And in last season's playoffs they were blown out by the Bills in Buffalo on a dreadful Saturday night.

But their recent prime-time pratfalls have been unusually and embarrassingly ugly. And comprehensive, with losses over the last three seasons on Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

In 2021 they had their seven-game winning steak broken by the 7-6 Indianapolis Colts. They lost to Brady in his hyper-hyped Foxboro homecoming. This season has featured a 33-14 Monday night debacle against the lowly Chicago Bears in which the team was booed and quarterback Mac Jones was benched. The Pats lost on Thanksgiving. And last Thursday they were hapless again against the Bills in a 24-10 loss, their lone touchdown scored by rookie cornerback Marcus Jones.

Worse, during the latest loss to Buffalo Mac Jones was seen yelling in the direction of offensive play-caller Matt Patricia and afterward several players criticized the team's game plan.

Fans booing. Starters yanked. Sideline shouting. Networks dissatisfied. And, mostly, losses.

The Patriots probably won't make the playoffs. They definitely aren't ready for prime time.

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