Belichick's Last Loss: 2023 Patriots Labeled 'Losers'

The New England Patriots were one of Sports Illustrated's eight losers for 2023, and new head coach Jerod Mayo may miss out on a franchise quarterback in the NFL Draft.

The New England Patriots lost 13 games and their legendary head coach, making the 2023 season a complete loss for the franchise.

Sports Illustrated identified eight losers from this past season, and naturally the last-place Patriots made the list, joining AFC East rivals Buffalo and New York amongst others.

New England, which started the season 1-5, had tremendous difficulty scoring points. Featuring the NFL's bottom ranked scoring offense, the Patriots (13.9) failed to tally more than seven points in six of 17 games, including two shutout losses at home. New England lost three of its last four games, putting an exclamation point on the lost season with a 17-3 loss to the Jets in the finale. In what was Bill Belichick's final game as Patriots' head coach, New York ended its 15-game losing streak in the head-to-head series.

Complicating matters for the offensively-challenged Patriots in 2023, two key defensive starters were lost to season-ending injuries in a Week 4 loss to Dallas. First-round rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez looked like a draft gem until tearing his labrum and vaunted pass rusher Matthew Judon suffered a biceps tear. 

With both Gonzalez and Judon expected to make successful recoveries, the defense, which has been under the guidance of new head coach Jerod Mayo, seems to be in decent shape. The team's offense, however, needs a dramatic overhaul. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who was lost to an injury for the stretch run, is a foundational talent for a unit that lacks proven playmakers.

Quarterback is likely the top offseason priority for a New England team that finished 28th out of 32 teams on passing offense (180.5). The growing challenge is, as SI noted, that the Patriots hold the No. 3 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft and the two franchise field general prospects are projected to go off the board with the first two picks. 

Clutchpoints

Should quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye be unavailable when New England hits the clock, it will likely have to find a replacement for Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe on the free agent market or via trade. Combining to average 6.1 yards per pass, Jones and Zappe accounted for 16 total touchdown passes and 21 interceptions last year.

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SI Writes: 

"New England didn’t land a top-two draft pick, making its miserable season worse. Williams and Drake Maye are viewed as future star quarterbacks and will likely be drafted by the Bears and Commanders, respectively.

The Patriots, slotted at No. 3, will need to decide between the third-best quarterback, taking the best available player or trading down. And they will need to make this decision without Belichick, who’s gone after 24 seasons in New England. All eyes will be on rookie coach Jerod Mayo during the first season of the post-Belichick era."

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