1. Zappe down and up
Bailey Zappe will have a job in the NFL in 2024. It won’t be as a starter. But he has shown enough, particularly after a horrific first quarter that there is some play-making there. The problem is egregious mistakes must but trumped by incredible playmaking. This Patriots team, now 4-12, is not good enough to travel anywhere and give the ball away as much as they did. After the three interceptions, Zappe, surprisingly fought through what appeared to be an oncoming blowout, including movement in the pocket and some nice intermediate passes. But up and down isn’t good enough on most Sundays.
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2. Defense take a bow
The Patriots defense deserved better. We’ve said that a lot this fall and early winter. This was a hostile situation against a Super Bowl “contender” in their house. This had “45-13” all over it, but this ultra-physical unit. What struck me most was how ineffective the Bills and their running game were. James Cook, a top five back in 2023, averaged only 3.0 yards per carry. That’s huge. He’s two weeks removed from a 179-yard game against the Cowboys. A lot of big plays and keeping Buffalo’s very good offense in check.
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3. Douglas is keeper
While I don’t want to be the master of the obvious, DeMario Douglas is going to be key player on this franchise going forward. If the Patriots add two semi-elite wideouts and a quarterback, Douglas will make a lot of big plays in space the next three seasons he is under contract. He’s a tough and shifty offensive player. With more talent around him, he will score touchdowns and produce more. Exciting to watch.
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4. No quit
If we were doing this in order of importance, this would be No. 1. There were many opportunities for “mental weakness” to take hold. But it didn’t. And it hasn’t since the losing started in September. This is a tribute to the head coach and the staff. When you have guys like Bill Belichick, Bill O’Brien, Troy Brown, Jerod Mayo, among others, guys that are nasty competitors, you hope it resonates with the players. And it has.
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5. No explosiveness
We don’t want to treat the 27-21 loss the Bills as if the Patriots lost the battle but won the war. They lost. And scoring points is just too difficult. The Patriots don’t have a legitimate scoring threat, a player who instills fear into a defense. Those kinds of players open up avenues for the second and third tier receivers and running backs. It’s been a problem since August and still is. It’s too difficult to win in this league without that guy or two.