Image courtesy of Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
FOXBOROUGH – Another week, another new low.
New England was shut out at home by a bad Chargers team 6-0 in a monsoon on Sunday afternoon.
The loss dropped the free-falling Pats to 2-10 with a short week coming up and the Steelers on tap this Thursday night in Pittsburgh. This is the first time the Patriots have been shut out at home twice in one season.
“Again, some missed opportunities here today,” said Bill Belichick. “I thought the guys all played really hard. We moved the ball, but were on a long field, just didn’t do a good job with the field position and couldn’t play the complementary game we needed to play.”
For those hoping that Bailey Zappe would be able to provide a jolt for the offense, they were sadly mistaken. Zappe finished with 141 yards and just 13 completions while the team had 257 total yards, actually out-gaining the Chargers by 16 yards. The offense was also an abysmal 4-14 on third down.
“Defense played great. Offense, it starts with me,” said Zappe. “It falls on me. I’ve got to get better, get back, watch this film and get ready for Thursday against the Steelers.”
Weather certainly played a factor in absolute miserable conditions, but the offensive ineptitude continued as New England had just 107 total yards and five first downs in the first half and trailed 6-0 when the teams headed to the locker room. The offense had six possessions (excluding the final play of the half) and fumbled once with five punts. The fumble came during a 14-play drive with Rhamondre Stevenson seemingly having a knee down when he was stripped, but the Patriots didn’t challenge. Stevenson was also injured on the play and didn’t return.
The defense did continue to show up, holding LA to just six first downs, 118 yards and two field goals – both 38 yarder’s from Cameron Dicker. To put in perspective just how bad it was for the fans that braved the elements, 14 teams played in the 1 o’clock window on Sunday, and New England was the only team to get shut out. Fittingly with the team wearing the red throwback jerseys, it was also the first time since 1993 the Patriots were shut out in the first half in back-to-back weeks.
“Obviously, I’ve stood up here and said the whole time it’s not one guy,” said David Andrews regarding the continued offensive struggles. “We obviously all have to do better, all 11 of us. We’ve just got to find a way to make some plays.”
The Pats’ defense forced a punt to open the third quarter and the offense actually moved the ball. Zappe drew the biggest roar of the day with a four yard 4th-&-2 scramble down to the LA 34. But, in typical fashion for the 2023 team, two sacks on second and third down soon pushed New England back and forced another punt.
LA put a 10-play drive together but ultimately had to punt, which led to the Pats again moving the ball late in the third, but a huge drop on a deep ball by Tyquan Thornton eventually led to a 4th-&-5 scenario at New England’s own 48 to start the fourth quarter with the score still at 6-0, but the Pats decided to punt.
New England got the ball back at its own 20 with 10:13 to play in the game and quickly got a 39 yard run from Tyquan Thornton on the drive’s second play, putting the offense at the LA 35. But, the futility continued moments later as Zappe – with fans chanting his name despite doing nothing all day – was sacked on 4th-&-5 at the 30 for a turnover on downs with 6:58 left in the game.
After LA dropped a third down pass that would have all but iced it, the offense had yet another crack with the ball at the Pats’ 12 with 4:36 remaining. A deep ball to DeVante Parker down the Pats’ sideline appeared to be caught, but was ultimately out of bounds setting up 3rd-&-8. Two snaps later with 1:58 remaining, New England turned it over on downs, sending the brave fans who stuck around streaming to the exits.
As things continue to get worse by the week, it’s hard to imagine the team seeing any light at the end of the tunnel with five games still remaining – including a trip out to Denver on Christmas Eve, the now flexed Chiefs game and a trip to Buffalo on New Year’s Eve Day. How does the locker room possibly stay locked in at 2-10?
We’re all about to find out as this remarkably terrible season somehow continues to top itself on a weekly basis.