A Season in Review
By Ben Howard | Observer Contributor
Has it been a year for football, or what? The season is definitely not over, but with fall winding down and the winter chill rolling in, the playoffs will soon be upon us. It’s at this point when we start to see the best teams thrive and, unfortunately, the worst teams tumble.
In years past, as New Englanders, we could always count on the Patriots notorious “second-half comeback” as a reliable backup plan when the first half didn’t go our way. Nowadays, that dependable fallback seems to have vanished. We used to be able to rely on a consistent pass, carries, and catches from our top-pick lineup. With Mac Jones at the helm, fans have felt that there’s much to be reckoned for. Some attribute the shifts to Head Coach Bill Belichick, while others believe it’s a team-wide challenge. Whether it’s a breakdown in communication between players and the sidelines or the inevitable toll of an aging head coach, something’s got to give between now and next year if we want our home team to turn it around.
Back in week seven, when the Patriots beat the Bills 29-25, there was a faint glimmer of hope set for the second half of the football season. With the Dolphins coming off of a 31-17 loss to the Eagles the same week as the Pats/Bills game, the Patriots vs. Dolphins matchup in week eight seemed promising. Unfortunately, while both teams were hungry—the Dolphins for redemption, and the Pats to advance—the weak-minded quarterback Mac Jones dropped the ball—literally. Once again, New England fell into the lull that fans have become accustomed to since Belichick signed Jones in 2021.
In week ten, an opportunity showed itself. The Patriots, for the first time, were set to play on the world stage against the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany. After all the losses this season has seen, Frankfurt was the make-or-break game to decide the future of New England’s beloved franchise. The Colts were a beatable team, and while it wasn’t a washout, losing on international TV certainly spelled disaster. Colts (10) and Patriots (6) left nothing new in expectations accompanying our players’ performance.
More recently, backup quarterback Bailey Zappe took the field in place of Mac Jones during the Patriot’s week thirteen game against the Los Angeles Chargers. A stormy day certainly made for difficult playing conditions in Foxboro– especially considering the frosty temperature of the Northeast. Regardless of the weather, the Patriots should not have suffered such a humiliating defeat: 6-0. It was final. Zappe was just like Jones in that he’d play good for a while, then bomb as if his skill was all just a run of good luck. When Belichek announced Zappe as his starting ‘QB’ for week 14, it’s likely everyone shook their heads in dismay. Whether Zappe were to prove himself or not, the Pittsburgh Steelers needed this game to stay en-route towards the playoffs. While most had probably given up, true fans packed deep in the lion’s den of Pennsylvania and watched in bewilderment. Halfway through the second quarter, the Patriots had the Steelers by an eighteen point lead, 21-3. Sure, the Steelers got some points back, but the game ended with a 21-18 victory for New England. A win for the Pats is one thing, winning on the road is another– a sign, maybe, that the Patriots have a little more gas left in the chamber.
Now, more than ever, it’s certain that for this team to redeem its name, major changes are crucial. In the remainder of the season, we’ll see if the players can shape up, or if the coaches will ship them out (and potentially become prey to the same fate.)
Comments are closed.