EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Bill Belichick was finished. He had been requested 22 questions over 4 minutes and muttered his approach by means of them with temporary answers about how everybody on his struggling team had been advised to be able to play. He didn’t need any extra. So he softly put his proper hand down like a gavel, abruptly ending his postgame information convention.
Bill Belichick Live Postgame Press Conference: https://t.co/gpm9zzq8YC
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 26, 2023
The 71-year-old coach exited down a tunnel and took a proper flip previous the soccer subject at MetLife Stadium, the place his New England Patriots had simply misplaced 10-7 to a backup, undrafted rookie quarterback and a New York Giants team that had been amongst the NFL’s worst.
GO DEEPER
Patriots bench Jones for Zappe, lose to Giants
Three months right into a dysfunctional season, there’s no sense in ignoring the apparent. After 9 losses in 11 video games and with a quarterback state of affairs that’s turning this once-proud franchise right into a laughingstock, Belichick is out of answers. The tips and stunts he has pulled haven’t labored. His team hasn’t responded. His roster stinks. And his explanations for the way it bought this dangerous are even worse.
“I told everybody to be ready to go,” Belichick stated 4 completely different instances.
All of this, in fact, results in the uncomfortable query that’s going to hover over the remaining six video games this season. Is Belichick going to be again? Are these the remaining video games of an excellent profession, one which’s ending with an implosion that when appeared unfathomable?
What query may be extra necessary than that after watching the product put forth by Belichick’s team Sunday? He tried one thing completely different this week, an try and jump-start a feeble offense that’s dragging this team down. Belichick determined not to call a beginning quarterback. He let Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe get observe reps with the beginning offense, hoping one in all them would be so good {that a} resolution would be made for him.
Instead, it was one more Belichick resolution (or indecision?) that backfired for this team. Belichick is the identical coach who in 2001 defined Tom Brady getting observe reps over Drew Bledsoe by saying {that a} team can’t cut up up these classes with a number of quarterbacks as a result of they’re too worthwhile — that lacking any snaps hinders the beginning QB’s preparation.
But 12 weeks into this season, Belichick cut up the observe reps between Jones and Zappe. Perhaps it ought to be no shock, then, that each struggled.
The argument right here isn’t for one in all Jones or Zappe. In truth, there’s loads of proof to counsel each are dangerous.
But relatively than have them compete for the beginning job this late in the season, it’s the coach’s job to decide and do every thing to get that quarterback prepared.
If you wish to play Jones, attempt to construct up his confidence. Back him publicly. Do what you may to ensure he doesn’t have powerful selections to make. See if working the ball works.
Otherwise, make the swap to Zappe. It would be simple to say Jones is unfixable at this level. Go to Zappe. Spend every week getting him able to play. Scheme up a easy, unsophisticated offense he can grasp.
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 26, 2023
Instead, Belichick selected an inexplicable midseason competitors that introduced out the worst in each quarterbacks. They made virtually similar interceptions into double (or was it triple?) protection.
GO DEEPER
Patriots’ midweek quarterback competitors is not what this team wants
The transfer in all probability did irreversible harm to Jones, who was benched for the fourth time in 11 video games this season. He appears fully damaged and in want of a recent begin elsewhere. So the Patriots in all probability have to show to Zappe, although his summer season was so dangerous that the Patriots minimize him earlier than Week 1. The second-year man has carried out so poorly this season that he couldn’t even beat out Jones for the beginning job Sunday.
It has all mixed to make this a misplaced season. It doesn’t matter what the remainder of the team does as a result of the offense is so dangerous. The Patriots scored three touchdowns and simply 30 factors in all of November.
“Just bad quarterback play,” Jones stated Sunday, summing issues up aptly. “If the quarterback doesn’t play well, you’ve got no chance.”
Such has been — and will proceed to be — the case with the Patriots in 2023.
Even if proprietor Robert Kraft hasn’t stated something publicly about the job safety of the solely head coach he has employed for the final 24 years, anybody following the team is aware of that Belichick’s seat is loads heat. Kraft anticipated this season to finish with a playoff berth.
Instead, his franchise has turn into a mockery. JuJu Smith-Schuster was yelling at coach Troy Brown on the sideline Sunday. As punishment for lacking curfew, gamers are being left at residence for street video games (J.C. Jackson) or minimize outright (Jack Jones). The Patriots have gained two video games this season and none since Oct. 22. Their offense is tough to look at — and was simply vastly outplayed by a Giants unit led by Tommy DeVito. No one is aware of who the starter is at the sport’s most necessary resolution. And they’re nearing a stretch of three straight prime-time video games in which the nation will be pressured to sit down and watch what has turn into of Belichick’s team.
GO DEEPER
Patriots should not fireplace Bill Belichick now, however after the season, all bets are off
This season is no longer about making the playoffs. That dream died a very long time in the past. These remaining few video games are an opportunity for Belichick to indicate why he ought to stay in cost of creating all football-related selections for the Patriots. It can’t simply be about resting on his six Super Bowl rings — not when the Patriots have turn into a laughingstock.
But the outcomes to this point have been downright embarrassing. The Patriots failed to attain a landing in Germany and misplaced to Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts. They had two weeks to sort things. Instead, they concocted a meaningless quarterback competitors that yielded poor play from each. Any go both quarterback throws downfield looks like a hold-your-breath, pray-it’s-not-an-interception try.
Now, after a loss to the pitiful Giants that drops them to 2-9, the Patriots are in a spot they haven’t been in many years. They would possibly be the worst team in the NFL. And the proof is piling up that Belichick no longer has the answers to repair it.
GO DEEPER
Buckley: Patriots put Mac Jones in place to take the blame however to not succeed
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