3 Patriots Whose Jobs Are on the Line in Week 3
By Tyler Maher
Week 2 gave Patriots fans a major case of deja vu as the team lost another close game at home. For the second week in a row, New England fell behind early, made some costly mistakes and nearly came back, only to fall just short at the end.
With the Patriots off to their first 0-2 start since 2001, several players and members of the coaching staff are already on the hot seat. New England can’t afford to lose again in Week 3, especially with a highly winnable road game coming up against the Jets.
That said, here are three Patriots whose jobs are on the line in Week 3.
3 Patriots Whose Jobs Are on the Line Week 3
1. Bill Belichick
The Patriots haven’t been the same since Tom Brady left, and Bill Belichick’s coaching failures have been a major reason why.
Going back to December 2019, New England is 27-33 and hasn’t won a playoff game. That’s nearly four years of bad football now, with the exception of 2021.
As great as Belichick’s been over the last two decades and his six championships notwithstanding, most of the blame falls on his shoulders. He’s made numerous free-agent and draft mistakes during that time, failing to adequately rebuild around Mac Jones.
Belichick has had plenty of time to get the franchise back on track following Brady’s departure, but there haven’t been many signs of progress lately. A down period was to be expected, for sure, but four years is an eternity in the NFL — longer than most players’ careers.
"That's the stuff that's really on Bill [Belichick]... you shouldn't have these issues anymore"@AlbertBreer & @Teddyjradio weigh in on the Patriots' costly mistakes with Felger on Sports Sunday pic.twitter.com/FNJX6RgOuc
— NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Coverage (@NBCSPatriots) September 18, 2023
At 71 years old, Belichick just doesn’t seem cut out for the job anymore. He hasn’t evolved to keep up with the modern NFL, especially on offense. His refusal or inability to acquire legitimate offensive weapons and playmakers is holding the team back, and the roster he assembled for 2023 is once again underwhelming.
Belichick may be the GOAT, but he’s outstaying his welcome and has lost his touch. The NFL is about results, and Belichick would be the first to tell you that. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been delivering them lately.
If he can’t beat the Jets — who haven’t beaten the Patriots since 2015 — then it might be time to part ways with Belichick and give someone else a chance.