The New England Patriots received more bad news after falling to the Buffalo Bills 27-21 on Sunday. With a 4-12 record, the Patriots will finish last in the AFC East for the first time since 2000. Entering the season, the Patriots had the longest active streak without finishing last in their division but that will end after a catastrophic year for New England.
After the loss at High Mark stadium, Bill Belichick was tight-lipped at the podium.
“Just a terrible first 20 minutes,” Belichick told gathered reporters. “Turnovers are a big story in the game. Can’t make those kind of mistakes against Buffalo.”
For the Patriots, this marks uncharted territory, and with the team securing a last-place finish in their division, it leads to many questions surrounding the future of the franchise. In 2023, the hope was the Patriots could earn a playoff spot after missing out on the postseason last season. However, the Patriots were eliminated from playoff contention after Week 14. From bad quarterback play to questionable coaching, the Patriots might be in store for a complete rebuild.
The last time the Patriots finished last in their division was the 2000 season. It was Bill Belichick’s first season as the team’s head coach. That season, the Patriots went 5-11 with Drew Bledsoe under center.
The following season, Tom Brady took over after Jets linebacker Mo Lewis knocked Drew Bledsoe down in a Week 2 matchup. We all know the rest of the story. The Patriots would win six Super Bowls and claim 17 division titles in 20 seasons.
There’s been speculation if Bill Belichick will coach for the Patriots next season, with some suggesting the Patriots might move on from Belichick. This season, the Patriots have suffered their biggest blow-out of the Belichick era and have continued to struggle against good opponents.
We’ll see what happens with Belichick’s future after the season ends next weekend. Robert Kraft has a tough decision on his hands, and it’ll be interesting to see how Kraft approaches the offseason.
Next week, the Patriots will host the 6-10 New York Jets for their regular season finale.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
